The Weight of Shadows
by word puzzler
Summary: Ezra's fun-loving, go-lucky attitude hides a painfully tragic past that has left him with scars that run deeper than any of the crew can imagine. While dealing with a past that can't be forgotten, Ezra struggles to protect the life and people that have become so very precious. An attempt at a realistic Ezra.
1. Spark of Rebellion: Rebels vs Street Rat

**_DISCLARMER_****: ****_This is a blanket disclaimer, I will NOT be repeating it! So please pay attention! _****I don't own anything of 'Star Wars Rebels.' Not the names, places, characters, concept, nothing!**** They belong to the creators/writer/authors/ect which does not include me, sadly.**

(Sort of) Extended summary/explanation: This is my take on a more realistic Ezra since I don't think a kid that has been on their own for 7/8 odd years would be as innocent as Ezra appears to be in the show. I also find it hard to believe that a kid that young could survive at all on their own, and in my story he doesn't. he has a little help in his early years, which will play a part in his backstory.

I do/will try to stay as close to cannon as possible but some deviation is necessary for the plot and there is a twist since I simply couldn't resist, but it should all make sense in the end so please be patient. If you have any questions wait a few chapters to see if they're answered, if they're not ask me and I'll try to answer them.

_Italicized words = memories, visions, Force speak, voices heard over the com, and general emphasis._

Underlined words = alien/non 'Basic' language

Line breaks indicate changes in perspective, time lapses, scene changes, and the like.

* * *

**Spark of Rebellion: Rebels vs. Street Rat**

_He lay on the ground, shaking and shivering from pain and cold. Blood dripped from several wounds, soaking his clothes and pooling beneath him. His breath came in short sharp gasps of pain._

_"Help," he whimpered. "Please help me. I- I don't want to d-die!"_

_"You won't!" A voice cried. "I won't l-let you!"_

_The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and he choked._

_"Ezra!"_

_Hands tilted his head to the side and something brushed against his face, wiping away the blood. He blinked, tears blurring the world, and a pair of eyes filled with worry and panic slowly came into focus._

_"Hold on, Ezra. I know it hurts, jus-just hold on!"_

_A warm hand brushed the hair from his face while another applied pressure to a wound, and he shook his head sluggishly._

_"Dunnit hurt," he mumbled. "Jus' c-cold."_

_He shivered, or tried to. His whole body felt heavy, too heavy, for even that small movement. He didn't care anymore, he was too tired, and with the world was growing dark letting go felt so tempting._

_"Ezra!" Something slapped against his face, hard, and he whimpered. "Stay awake, Ezra!"_

_"Tired," he croaked out, eyes closing. Everything was just so heavy and so cold._

_"Ezra? Ezra! EZRAAAA!"_

* * *

Electric blue eyes stared unseeing into the distance. They blinked and the far off city came back into focus. The boy sighed and looked down at the ground far below.

"I hate that dream," he muttered, running a hand through his shaggy, dark blue hair. Wind whistled overhead as a shadow fell over him and he glanced up. "Whoa, a star destroyer."

He grinned and made his way out of the abandoned tower, following after it. After all, messing with Imperials was always the perfect distraction.

It was only a few minutes after he reached the city that the perfect opportunity presented itself. He ducked into a nearby alley and watched as a group of Imperials harassed a street vendor.

"I remember what it was like before the Empire," the vendor complained. "Before you Imperials showed up and ruined Lothal like the rest of the galaxy."

"Che! Idiot," Ezra mumbled to himself, shaking his head as the furry Gounian* was arrested for 'treason.'

"You can't do this!" The man cried as stormtroopers started to drag him away.

"Who's going to stop us?" The fatter of the two officers asked mockingly, taking a bite out of the man's wares as he gestured to the milling crowd. "You? Or You?"

The people looked away.

'And that's my cue,' Ezra thought, pulling his trusty hat out of his pocket and tucking his hair underneath as he made his way over.

"Spare a jogan, sir?" Hands up, head down so they couldn't see his face, Ezra let the fat one shove him away and into the other officer.

"Sorry, sorry! Not looking for trouble." He stumbled away. "But it sure has a way of finding me."

He tossed the com device he'd swiped into the air, shaking his head. Really, sometimes it was just _too_ easy. He slipped back into the alley and pressed the button on the side.

"All officers report to the main square. This is a code red emergency! All hands report in!"

The two officers and their accompanying troopers quickly dispersed, leaving the vendor behind in their haste.

"Stay on alert." Ezra walked up to the man still speaking into the device. "Repeat; this is a code red."

"Thank you," the jogan seller said, handing Ezra a fruit.

"No, thank you," Ezra replied, letting his voice fall back into its normal pitch and sweeping a few more jogans into his backpack.

"Wait, wait! What are you doing?" The vendor hissed angrily.

"Hey, a kid's gotta eat," Ezra answered smoothly, righting the Gounian's overturned basket and setting it beside the disgruntled alien. He slung his pack over his shoulders and darted away, climbing up onto a nearby building. The street vendor frowned after him.

"Who is that kid?"

Ezra crossed a couple roofs, stopping at one that over looked the main square. He grinned as he watched the two officers from before arrive and chuckled at the ensuing confusion.

"Almost feel bad for them. Almost." He tensed as a strange whistling rang in his ears. "That was weird. I-"

He jerked up as the whistling intensified, becoming more of a wordless call coming from. . . His eyes narrowed, focusing on a man standing at a cross road. He had dark, red-brown hair pulled into a small ponytail, armor along one arm, and a blaster strapped to his right hip. Over all, nothing remarkable about him _except_ that he seemed to be what the. . . 'voice' wanted him to see.

The man twitched and Ezra ducked out of view as he spun in his direction. The man scanned the air Ezra's head had previously occupied before turning back. Ezra peaked over the edge and watched as the mysterious man paused beside a doorway and gave his holster a pat. The figure resting the door's shadow came alive and the large, purple furred alien moved to stand a few feet away.

The man moved and paused again, this time next to a clearly female figure wearing the most colorful armor Ezra had ever seen. The man gave his holster another pat, a gesture repeated by the female before she moved off.

"Interesting," Ezra whispered to himself. He'd seen gangs work before, and worked _with_ a few, and knew all about the subtle signals and casual gestures that made up silent conversations between members. This, this was exactly like that. The only difference was, unlike most gangs in the city, he didn't know these people. He didn't even recognize them.

That _almost_ worried him. As a street rat on his own he made it a point to know who to look out for, gang members and Imperials taking up most of his list. He shrugged his shoulders, if he didn't recognize them they were probably a new or mobile gang. Deciding it wasn't worth worrying about either way he settled back to watch.

The armored figure strolled casually past one of the parked speeder bikes and tossed a small _something_ at it.

'What was that?' A loud explosion answered his silent question.

"Whoa!" He leaned forward, eager to see what would happen next.

"Get those crates out of here!" One of the officers yelled. "Keep them secure at all costs!"

"All costs, huh? I like the sound of that." Ezra took off with a grin; this day just kept getting better!

He skidded to a stop at the edge of a nearby building and watched as the stormtroopers hauling the crates were cut off by a land speeder driven by the man from before. His mouth fell open as the man launched himself at the nearest trooper, knocking him of his speeder bike and leaving him unconscious, before whipping out his blaster and engaging the others in a gun fight.

"Ok. . .Not _thieves_ exactly," Ezra muttered, tugging his hat more firmly onto his head. "More like. . .vigilantes? Maybe?"

A movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to turn. The man's purple haired companion had arrived and proceeded to physically attack the troopers from behind. In a matter of minutes the troopers were down.

'My turn!' Ezra tugged the scarf around his neck up over his nose and jumped, landing on one of the speeder bikes.

"Thanks for doing the heavy lifting," he called as he backed the bike up and deftly dodged a swipe from the purple alien.

Reinforcements had arrived and he smashed his way through a couple troopers.

"Oops." He chuckled under his breath and sped off, ignoring the cries of pain and outrage behind him.

A thump sounded behind him and he glanced back, the move causing the scarf to loosen and revealing his face.

"Pretty gutsy move, kid," called the armor wearing, bomb thrower from before, clinging to the second crate.

"Tch!" He jerked on the steering, yanking the speeder from side to side in an attempt to lose the unwanted passenger. He glanced back only to find himself staring down the muzzle of a blaster pistol, but before he could react she lowered it, pointing it between the two crates.

"If the big guy catches you, he'll end you." She warned, firing a shot and separating the two crates. "Good luck!"

Ezra shrugged, one crate was better than none, and faced forward. He rounded a corner and gasped at the squad of troopers blocking the road. Blaster fire flew over his head and he yelped as return fire came from behind.

"Tish! Caught in crossfire!" Cursing softly, he lowered the power on the right side of the bike and jacked the power on the left. The sudden flux in power caused the bike to shoot to the right and the anti-grav stabilizers kicked in, grabbing hold of the wall and carrying him above the line of fire.

The trick only worked for a minute but it was enough time for the troopers to be downed and the fire to cease. It also gave Ezra the opportunity to see who had been trying to get him from behind, and he wasn't surprised to see it was the strange man and alien from before.

Electric blue eyes met green and, for a moment, Ezra heard that strange wordless whisper followed by a feeling of déjà vu. He blinked and the voice disappeared, but not the unsettling feeling of having seen this before.

Yanking the speeder into a sharp turn, he swerved violently to avoid hitting the crowd of people in front of him and twisted around a corner. Another glance back confirmed he still had a tail.

"Pretty persistent. Time to see just how badly you want this."

Ezra spun the speeder around and hit the accelerator, smirking at the shocked looks on his pursuers' faces as he sped toward them. A few feet before collision he jerked the bike to the right and disappeared into a side alley, laughing at the shouts of surprise and anger behind him.

"Alright, no more wasting time."

A few more turns and he reached the city limit, but the instant he sped through the gates a pair of troopers appeared and opened fire.

"Tch! I just can't get a break, can I?" Ezra moaned as he dodged left and right. He ducked and his eyes level with the controls. He grinned as an idea formed in his head.

"Well, ya know what they say," he said cheerfully as he yanked the bike into reverse and shot right between the two troopers. "You gotta fight fire with fire!"

He fired at their backs. He missed completely, but at least it wasn't him dodging blaster fire anymore. Movement off to the side and ever so slightly behind him caught his attention and he groaned. "Not you again!"

It was the people from before.

"Pull over, kid!" the man yelled. Up ahead the stormtroopers turned their bikes around and began firing on them.

"Little busy at the moment!" Ezra hollered back, slamming on the brakes and letting his two pursuers face the troopers.

As soon as their attention was diverted, Ezra punched the accelerator and jumped into the other lane which, despite traffic going in the opposite direction, was mercifully devoid of both stormtroopers and trigger happy vigilantes.

He soon by-passed the two men, ignoring the smoking remains of the troopers and once again caught the man's eye. The strange, wordless call rang in his ears and the feeling of déjà vu became almost overwhelming. He flinched and forced his eyes back onto the road, pressing the accelerator flat. He pulled ahead and let out a sigh of relief as the man fell behind.

The man frowned as the kid pulled ahead. The kid was good, very good, but he needed that crate. He gestured to his partner, Zeb, who rolled his eyes but gave a thumbs up and fell back. Once he had, the man released the crates and shot forward. Zeb slowed to a stop beside the drifting crates watching as his human accomplice sped off.

"If Kanan catches that kid," he growled, "I'm gonna end him."

Without the extra weight the man, Kanan, was able to overtake the kid and jump the barrier to the other lane, stopping a little ways in front of the would-be thief.

Ezra slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering around, skidding to a stop a foot from the man. He smacked the dash in frustration and tugged at his hat. "Who are you people?"

"I'm the guy who was stealing that crate."

"Hey look," Ezra began, crossing his arms and tugging at his scarf; there was no point putting it on now, not after the man had already seen his face. "I stole this. . ._stuff_ fair and square."

"And you made it pretty far," the man told him. Ezra couldn't decide if that was meant as a compliment or a criticism. "But I've got plans for that crate, so today's not your day."

Ezra glanced up at an approaching TIE fighter and his lips twitched in a small smile.

"Mm, well day's not over yet," he replied, moving the speeder out of the path of the oncoming fire.

"Oh, wonderful," Kanan muttered as the sound of a TIE fighter engine reached him. He sprinted out of the way and dove to the ground as his stolen speeder bike exploded behind him. With a sigh Kanan stood up, brushing off the rubble, and turned to survey the damage.

The kid flew back into view.

"Have a good one!" he called, waving as he sped off. Behind him Kanan shook his head, an amused smile curling his lips for a moment, before reaching for the com on his belt.

"Spectre-1 to _Ghost_. I need a lift."

Ezra zipped off the entry road and made his way across the planes. At the sound of an engine overhead he looked up and groaned.

"Whatever's in this crate must really be worth it." He ducked to avoid the TIE's cannon fire. "_Better_ be worth it!"

He jerked the bike into a series of sharp turns, but whoever was flying the TIE was a far better, or luckier, shot than his previous pursuers and managed to hit the front of the speeder bike. Ezra's eyes widened and without a shadow of a doubt he _knew_ the bike was about to explode.

He jumped, much too high and much too far to be considered normal, but he didn't notice or care as the TIE circled back around.

"And there goes my good day," Ezra sighed, crouching low to the ground and preparing to evade like his life depended on it which, oddly enough, _it did_.

The sound of a blaster canon split the air and Ezra dove behind the crate, which against all odds had survived intact, as the TIE exploded in front of him. Safe from falling debris, Ezra spun in the direction the canon fire had come from.

* * *

Kanan stood on the bay door looking down at the kid and smirked.

"You want a ride?" he called down. The kid bit his lip and glanced around. "Kid, you got a better option? Come on!"

The kid glanced at him then at the crate.

"Leave the crate!" Kanan yelled as the kid started pushing it in his direction. "You'll never make it!"

The kid ignored him, activating the anti-grav and pushing it front of him as a shield against the incoming TIE's fire. Then he jumped, landing the crate on the edge of the bay doors, a good twenty feet above the ground.

"Whoa." Kanan's eyebrows rose in surprise; the kid was proving himself to be as impressive as he was troublesome.

"Don't bother helping or anything," Ezra grunted as he pulled himself up onto the bay door. The man ignored his sarcastic remark and moved to get the crate. Ezra glanced over the edge. "15? 20feet? With an oversized shoebox? Might be a new record."

Kanan gave the kid a sharp glance, if this was a normal thing for him. . . He gave his head a mental shake and passed Zeb the crate before turning and closing the bay door. Once that was done he glanced down at the kid, getting his first good look at him.

The kid was crouched by the bay door, his head tilted slightly as he looked up at them. A faded, yellow hat was pulled low, completely covering his hair and shading his eyes from view, but Kanan could all too easily remember the vivid shade of blue they were from the few times their eyes had met. He wore a short, dirt colored vest over a dusty orange track suit that looked to be about two sizes too big and the baggy way it hung on him made him look smaller than he actually was.

The boy stood up and Kanan saw he had a piece of armor, undoubtedly stolen or scavenged from the trash, strapped to his right shin that appeared to be protecting the pant leg from suffering the same fate as its counterpart which looked as though it had been ripped off, revealing dark brown leggings that matched his shoes and the pad on his left knee.

He looked thrown together Kanan decided and turned his attention to the crate as Zeb removed the lid, revealing. . .

* * *

"Blasters?" Ezra frowned.

'What a waste of effort,' he thought, pushing past the strange man to get a closer look. 'Why couldn't it have been food, or parts, or something?' He gave himself a mental shake and changed his tone, no point letting them think he couldn't use them.

"Do you know what these are worth on the black market?" he asked excitedly, picking one up and examining it.

"I do actually," Kanan answered, irritation leaking into his voice.

"Don't get any ideas," Zeb threatened.

"Their mine," Ezra retorted, not backing down.

"If you hadn't gotten in our way-" Zeb growled, snatching the blaster and throwing it back into the crate.

"Too bad." The kid snapped back, placing his hands on the crate. "I got to them first."

"It's not who's first," Kanan intervened, placing himself between the boy and the crate. "It's who's last."

He made to move the kid out of the way, but before he could touch him the kid stepped back and leaned against the wall.

"Keep an eye on our friend here," Kanan instructed as he made his way up the ladder and out of the loading bay.

"You said this was a routine op," the light green Twi'lek pilot called as soon as he climbed into the cockpit. "What happened down there?"

Before he could answer a battered, orange astromech droid rolled over to him, grumbling and clicking.

"Ugh, Chopper, please. It's been a difficult morning," Kanan sighed, exasperated, as he made his way to his seat.

"He's got a point, love." The pilot told him, gesturing to a display screen. "We've got four TIE fighters closing in."

"Hera, how about a little less attitude and little more altitude?" Kanan snapped back, standing beside her. Hera smirked slightly and pulled the ship into a sharp turn, successfully evading the enemy fire and causing Kanan to tumble into his chair. He righted himself with a rueful chuckle. "If I didn't know better I'd think you did that on purpose."

"If you knew better we wouldn't be in this situation," Hera retorted, glancing at him. "Seriously, Kanan, what happened?"

Kanan glanced behind him at the security display monitoring the loading bay. "He did."

* * *

"Look," Ezra said from his seat on 'his' crate. "I was just doing the same thing you were – stealing to survive."

"You have no idea what we were doing," Zeb shot back, shoving Ezra in the chest for emphasis. "You don't know us."

"And I don't want to." Ezra shoved the offending arm away and hoped off the crate. "I just want off this burner."

"Please," Zeb growled, looming over Ezra. "Nothing would please me more than tossing you out, _while in flight_.

* * *

Up in the cockpit Hera turned her gaze from the image of Zeb and an unfamiliar kid glaring at each other to Kanan.

"A kid tripped you up?" She asked, torn between surprise and amusement. "Must be some kid. Spill it."

Kanan shook his head in exasperation as he crossed his arms and faced forward. "Aren't you a little busy at the moment?"

"Spill."

Kanan did, and Hera listened intently as she evaded the ever persistent enemy fire. A particularly hard turn rocked the ship violently, causing Zeb to lose his balance and fall forward onto a surprised Ezra.

"Get off," Ezra groaned. "Can't. . .Breathe!"

Zeb rolled his eyes.

"I'm not that heavy in this gravity," he grumbled as he stood.

"Not the weight," Ezra ground out, sitting up. "The smell."

Surprise flashed across Zeb's face. "You don't like the air quality in here, eh?" He snarled. "Fine. I'll give you your own room!"

"Hey, stop!" Ezra cried as Zeb grabbed his leg and started to drag him through the ship. The large alien ignored him and continued to drag him all the way to a small storage locker. With a grunt, Zeb threw him inside.

* * *

Unaware of the happenings in the below deck, Kanan finished telling Hera of the morning's adventures.

"Kid sounds impressive."

Kanan's eyes shot open and he swiveled to face the pilot.

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking," he said, not quite able to keep the alarm out of his voice. He recognized the look in her eye, it was the same look she got every time she had an idea and usually meant trouble, mostly for _him_.

"He held onto a crate of blaster with a pack of troopers on his tail."

"Because I was there to save him!"

"By the sound of it, he would have done alright on his own." Hera argued back half-heartedly, most of her attention on piloting the ship.

"He's a street rat!" Kanan exploded. "Wild, reckless, dangerous, and-" He glanced at the monitors as he ticked all the problems associated with the kid off on his fingers and did a double take. "Gone?"

* * *

As soon as the door had closed Ezra scrambled to his feet and looked around. An air duct caught his eye and he smirked, tugging his hat more firmly onto his head as he inspected it.

It only took him a moment to open it and crawl inside. Habit winning out, he closed the grill behind him. After all there was no point in letting them _know_ how he got out.

'Let 'em guess.' He thought with a smirk as he made his way through the inner workings of the ship. He paused for a moment when a voice he recognized as belonging to the man 'Kanan' sounded over the ship's intercom.

"Zeb, Sabine, where's the kid?"

"Calm down, chief," Zeb replied, hitting the button to open the locker door. "He's in. . .uh, here?"

"Zeb, where is he?" Kanan demanded, sensing Zeb's confusion.

"Well, he is still in the ship."

The faintest scratching sound caused Sabine to look up. Hitting a few buttons on her wrist she activated the thermo-detector in her helmet and scanned the ceilings.

"Oh, he's _in_ the ship alright," she told them, gesturing to the air duct above her head.

"Very creative," Hera muttered. "A lot like someone else I used to know."

She glanced at Kanan, who scowled and took off.

Ezra snickered quietly as he made his way through the ventilation, pushing his bag ahead of him. True, they knew where he was, but listening to them argue had been entertaining.

A loud creaking sounded beneath him and he froze.

"Uh-oh."

The section of shaft he was in gave out and he crashed to the floor, his bag landing on his head with a painful thump.

"Ow," he hissed, rubbing his jaw as he dropped into the available chair. He glanced up and gasped. "I'm in _space_?"

A pair of TIE fighters flew by, firing at the ship.

"And I'm about to die!"

"Shields holding for now," a woman's voice informed him over the intercom, "but I need time to calculate the jump to lightspeed."

"Buying time!" came a distant reply and a TIE exploded in front of him.

"Whoa!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him out of the chair. Instinct kicked in and he reached for his wrist mounted energy sling shot, pausing once he recognized the brightly colored armor. The figure removed her helmet and Ezra's eyebrows shot up. She was much younger than he had assumed, almost his age, and very pretty.

She glared at him and looked about to speak when a particularly hard hit rocked the ship. She pushed past him, hanging her helmet on the back of the chair, and flung herself into the seat.

"So, my name's Ezra," he began, no point wasting a golden opportunity. "What's yours?"

His vague attempt at flirting was cut short as he was grabbed, _again_, and spun around, coming face to face with the grumpy alien from before.

"My name's Zeb, you Loth-rat," Zeb answered.

"Sorry, you're not my ty–"

"Calculations complete," the intercom crackled. "But we need an opening."

"Found one!" The armored girl called, locking onto a TIE and blasting it.

"Entering hyperspace."

An engine whirred and Ezra's eyes widened as the stars blurred together into a brilliant, bright tunnel of light.

"Dekciw," he breathed, spell bound.

Zeb ignored the kid's strange mumbling and dragged him to the cockpit.

"Hey! Let go!" Ezra grunted, wrenching his arm free. "You can't keep me here. Take me back to Lothal."

"Calm down. That's exactly what we're doing." Hera told him, and the kid snapped his head around to look at her.

"Wait. Right now? With Imperials chasing us?"

"We lost the TIEs when we jumped, and the _Ghost_ can scramble its signature so they won't recognize us when we return." Hera explained.

"That's pretty cool! S-so just drop me and my blasters outside Capital City and-"

The door slid open behind him and he whipped around as Sabine and Kanan entered.

"They're not _your_ blasters," Sabine frowned at him.

"And we're not going back to Capital City," Kanan informed him. "The job's not done yet."

'Maybe not for you,' Ezra thought, tugging at his hat and leaning against the wall. 'But I was done the instant the TIEs caught up with me. Should have stayed in the city, _no one_ would have caught me there.'

He let out a long, slow breath and crossed his arms. The cabin lit up with light as the ship jumped through hyperspace back to Lothal and Ezra relaxed only slightly as the planet came back into view.

By the time the ship landed Ezra was back in the loading bay ready to go. The instant the doors opened he was moving, pausing only when the ship was a good 10 feet behind him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As much as he'd always wanted to explore space, he'd always assumed he would be doing so willingly and not with a bunch of stuck up. . . whatever they were.

He opened his eyes and took in the surrounding area. In front of him was what looked like a small village, just visible in the pre-dawn light, and surrounded by plains. Movement and the sound of footsteps behind him told him the others were disembarking. He turned to see Zeb and the girl whose name he'd yet to learn headed in his direction, pushing a couple of crates.

"Hey, where are they going?" he asked, gesturing to Kanan and the pilot, 'Hera', who were headed in the opposite direction with the crate of blasters he'd stolen.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Zeb growled at him. "Oh, and I might just kill you anyway."

The girl rolled her eyes and glanced at him. "Grab a crate. Pull your weight."

Biting back a retort and swallowing a large portion of his pride, Ezra did as he was told and followed the two down the hill to the village.

Ezra grimaced as he looked around at the dirty and rundown buildings that looked like little more than metallic tents. "Been around Lothal, but. . .Never been here."

"The Imperials don't advertise it," the girl told him.

"Locals call it Tarkintown," Zeb added.

"Named for Grand Moff Tarkin," she continued, "governor of the outer rim. He kicked these folks off their farms when the Empire wanted their land."

"Anybody who tried to fight back got arrested – for treason," Zeb finished.

Ezra frowned. If what they said was true, and he didn't doubt for a minute it was, it would certainly explain the air of depression and hopelessness. He eyed the people slumped against the various walls and his frown deepened.

By the time they stopped in the middle of Tarkintown, the sun had risen enough to bathe everything in a soft, yellow glow.

"Who wants free grub?" Zeb called, popping the lids off the crates, all of which were filled with various fruits and vegetables.

'Che! Knew I grabbed the wrong crates,' Ezra thought idly as the people shuffled forward murmuring words of thanks and soft please.

"Thank you." Ezra looked at the dark grey Rodian. The man's snout twitched in a small, tired smile as he repeated his thanks. "Thank you so much."

"I – I didn't do anything," Ezra replied, watching the alien walk off, hands full of food. He tugged at his hat, frowning as he watched Zeb and the girl pass out food. The relaxed, happy expressions on their faces left a bitter taste in his mouth and with a last glance at the milling crowd, he walked away.

As he made his way out of the small 'town,' Ezra examined the people and buildings and the broken odds and ends. Honestly, he'd seen worse. Heck, he'd _lived_ in worse before he'd found and taken over the abandoned tower, and he couldn't understand why the people that lived here were starving.

"They're _farmers_ for crying out loud," Ezra muttered to himself. "If anybody should be able to feed themselves it should be _farmers_."

He ran a hand through his hair, knocking the hat off his head. Heaving a sigh he knelt to pick it up and jammed it back on his head. Still kneeling, Ezra gathered up a handful of dirt and examined it. With a sigh he let it fall and stood up.

"Ok, so I don't really know anything about farming, _but_," He looked around at the surrounding plains. "If that stuff can grow here _surely_ they can grow other stuff. . .Right?"

He scowled at a nearby building. He really didn't have any patience for people that gave up on even _trying_ to help themselves. With the exception of a very few instances where people had taken pity on him when he was younger, nobody had helped him. He'd certainly _never_ had anyone deliver food to him or any of the other street rats. Yet he'd survived. If he could, grown people with experience should be able to.

He started to leave again, but paused as the sound of voices reached his ears. It was the sound he'd heard many times before, the sound of people with nothing, thanking those that were willing to give them anything.

"Traeh gnideelb ym esruc!" he groaned, turning around and scanning the area. He quickly found what he needed and got to work. Ezra had almost finished when footsteps sounded behind.

"What are you doing?" Ezra glanced at the speaker. It was the Rodian from before, the one that had thanked him. After a split second internal debate, he nodded.

"You ever hear about place called-" he hesitated a moment before continuing, "- a place called Au'tralia**?"

* * *

While Ezra, for the first time in years, told a story about a far off place, Kanan and Hera stood off to the side as Cikatro Vizago examined the stolen blasters.

"Any problems procuring these lovely ladies?" the black market arms dealer asked, running a hand down the length of a barrel.

"Nothing we couldn't handle, Vizago." Kanan answered curtly, trying not to think about a certain blue eyed kid. "Your information was accurate. This time."

Hera nodded, "We got the goods and took a bite out of the Empire. That's all that matters."

"Business is all that matters," Vizago corrected. "But I love that you don't know that."

He gestured to his droids to take the guns and pulled out a stack of golden credits, dropping a few into Kanan's waiting hands.

"Keep going," Kanan ordered impatiently, eager to be done with the shady 'businessman.'

"I could," Vizago said, fingering the remaining credits. "Or I could stop and trade the rest of the bounty for another bit of intel you've been begging after."

"The Wookiees?" Hera asked quickly.

"The Wookiees."

* * *

**Author's notes:**

* I don't actually know what this species is supposed to be called and I couldn't find the name, I just made one up. It's derived from the Greek word 'goúna' meaning fur

** Pronounced: **Ŏ**~tray~**lee**~uh. This will be explained in a later chapter.

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ Congratulations Kitty Cat, I was wondering if anyone was going to figure it out. Since you're the first (I'm just assuming since you're the first to say anything) PM if you want a "reward."


	2. Spark of Rebellion: Imperial Prisoner

**Spark of Rebellion: Imperial Prisoner**

* * *

Ezra stared at the door. That strange whispering 'voice' had lead him there and he could almost swear it was telling him to go inside. Curiosity burning, Ezra fished around in his bag for his tools and glanced around.

An old, beat up, orange astromech droid rolled by and paused to blink at him. Ezra raised a brow at it and pulled out his last remaining jogan instead.

"This bird ever gonna take off?" he asked it, taking a bite of the fruit.

The droid chattered and left and Ezra turned back to the door, tucking the rest of the fruit away for later. The lock took him barely a second to override and he slipped inside, doors sliding shut behind him.

There was almost nothing in the room, and if it weren't for the double bunk opposite him, he would have thought it an unused storage room.

"If this is someone's room, they travel lighter than I do," he said quietly, frowning as he crossed the room and looked for anything that might have caused the strange feeling that had lead him there; and he didn't doubt there had to be _something_. He'd long since learned not to ignore the strange feelings or calls he would sometimes get. Heeding them had kept him alive more than once. So, even though listening to that stupid call was what had gotten him into so much trouble today, he wasn't about to start ignoring it now.

As he neared the bunk his eyes were drawn downward. He knelt and ran his hand over a drawer, looking for the release, and started slightly as it slid open. Inside was a strangely marked cube made of glass and a metal that could pass as tarnished gold.

"Might be worth something," he decided, slipping it into one of his hidden pockets. He pulled the drawer open farther and picked up the only other thing inside. It looked vaguely familiar, though he couldn't say how or why, and as he grasped it with both hands a bolt of light shot out of the top. The bright blue light lit up the room and a thrill of excitement and dread shot through him.

"Whoa," he breathed, dragging it through the air. Despite having gained about two feet of extra length it still weighed the same as it had when he'd picked it up, and Ezra brought the beam up close to his face, mesmerized. So much so that he barely registered the door opening behind him.

* * *

Kanan stood in the entrance to his room, arms crossed and a hard, disapproving look on his face as he stared at the intruder's back.

"Careful," he warned as the kid turned to face him. "You'll cut your arm off."

Hera, lead by Chopper, came to stand beside him.

"Look," the kid began, tugging at his hat. "I know you're not going to believe me, but it's like this thing wanted me to take it."

"You're right. I _don't_ believe you. Now hand me the lightsaber."

"Lightsaber?" the kid breathed, ignoring Kanan's outstretched hand. "Isn't that the weapon of the Jedi?"

"Give it to me. And get out."

It was hard to see the kid's expression with the room's dim lighting, and impossible to see his eyes under the hat, but Kanan could feel them. They stared straight into his and he had the distinct impression of being weighed and measured. It was a feeling he'd often had when standing before a Grand Mater Jedi and having it come from a kid was _unnerving_.

The kid lowered the lightsaber, beam disappearing as he did so along with the feeling of being stared down by age old eyes. He walked over; hesitating just a moment before letting go of the lightsaber, and Kanan could almost swear the kid was pouting. Then he was gone, disappearing around a corner.

Letting out a slow breath, Kanan disassembled the two main parts of his lightsaber and hung them on separate hooks on his belt. He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms as he met Hera's questioning look.

"Now we'll see."

* * *

Ezra wandered through the ship and into a room that wasn't locked. Movement to his left made him turn and he saw the girl leaning against a counter, a cup in hand.

"Not too good at following directions, are you?" She asked dryly.

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he made his way over. "Not so much, You?"

"Never been my specialty."

"Who are you people?" Ezra asked suddenly. "I mean, you're not thieves exactly."

"We're not exactly anything," she answered. "We're a crew, a team, in some ways a family."

The way she said 'family' caused Ezra to look away.

"What happened to your real family?" He asked slowly.

"The Empire," she spat, then looked at him. With a sinking heart Ezra knew what she was going to ask and cursed himself for walking into it. "What happened to yours?"

The door slid open and for the first time, Ezra was happy to see the purple alien.

"Kanan wants us in the common room," Zeb told the girl. He tapped the top of the orange astromech that had rolled in after him. "If he tries anything, sound the alarm. Or shoot him."

Ezra's eyebrows twitched upward in mild surprise, but the old droid merely let loose a rather mocking sound as it looked at Zeb, who glared at it.

"Shush. Just watch him," Zeb replied dismissively as he left, followed by the girl. She paused and glanced back at him.

"Sabine. My name's Sabine."

She left, helmet tucked under her arm, and Ezra was left to stare down the droid. It warbled and clattered at him. Ezra sighed and rolled his eyes. He had only the vaguest idea what it was saying, empty threats and demands he'd heard a thousand times before, and easily tuned it out as he wandered about the room. Unless he missed his guess this was the kitchen or 'galley' he supposed it was called, which meant there had to be at least one. . . He found it, three actually, but the one tucked up next to the cabinets would be an almost direct route to the next room.

He climbed up onto the counter and pulled open the grill to the ventilation shaft.

"Oh, would you shut up?" he snapped at the droid, which had started chattering louder. "They're up to something and you and I both know it has _nothing_ to do with taking me back to Capital City. Since whatever it is, is keeping me here I think I have a right to know what it is."

He climbed into the shaft. A turn and two short drops later he was back in the closet Zeb had thrown him into earlier.

'Hello, old friend,' he thought sarcastically as he pressed his ear to the door.

". . .got a tight window," Kanan's voice informed him. "They've been taken to an unknown slave labor camp. If we don't intercept this ship, we'll never find them. Now, I have a pl –"

* * *

Kanan cut off as the door slid open and Chopper zipped out, grumbling and waving his probe like arms.

"I ordered you to keep watch," Zeb shouted.

"What do you mean he's in here?" Hera asked, having understood what the droid was saying. She glanced at Kanan who frowned and cut his eyes to the closet. He strode over and hit the button to open the door. A faded, yellow hat bobbed up and down as the kid sighed.

"For something that doesn't have a mouth," the kid said, peering around Kanan's legs to glare at Chopper. "You talk too much."

Zeb pushed past Kanan with a silent snarl and dragged the kid out of the closet and tossed him to the ground.

"Can we please get rid of him?" he growled, cracking his knuckles as he advanced.

"No, we can't," Sabine answered as she and Kanan placed restraining hands on his shoulders. The kid took the opportunity to scramble to his feet and back away. "The kid knows too much."

"We don't have time to take him home anyway," Hera cut in, pushing past Zeb. "We need to move now. _I'll_ keep an eye on him."

"Ya know, 'him' is standing right here and has a name," Ezra interjected testily, deftly avoiding the hand Hera had been about to place on his shoulder, and tugging his hat more firmly onto his head as he followed after her. "And my name _isn't_ 'kid.'"

Sabine stared after them , lips twitching.

"Please tell me you don't like. . ._that_!" Zeb said, disgusted. Sabine blinked and threw him an annoyed look.

"Of, course not! It's just. . ." She trailed off with a frown. "He did. . .something. I don't know what, but when I was leaving Tarkintown I saw this Rodian digging in the dirt. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he was 'farming.'"

Kanan and Zeb looked at her, surprised. Everytime they had gone to help the residents of Tarkintown they had only seemed more and more lifeless. Privately, both men had thought it was only a matter of time before they gave up on living.

"Are you sure?" Kanan asked sharply. "There's no farm equipment there."

"That's what he said: 'farming.' But it wasn't like any farming I'd ever seen." She picked up her helmet and tucked it under her arm. "Kept mumbling about a place called Au'tralia?"

* * *

Once the ship entered hyperspace and Ezra was able to tear his eyes away from the brilliant tunnel of light, he glanced at the pilot. While she'd been nice enough, nicer than anyone else on the ship, going as far as to _ask_ what his name was, he wasn't comfortable enough to relax. The silence wasn't helping either. Inhaling slowly, he cast about for something to say. Their current destination, which Hera had been kind enough to tell him about, popped into his head.

"You know, this whole mission thing is nuts. I'm not against sticking it to the Empire," Ezra explained as he idly spun himself around in the chair next to the pilot. "But there's no way I'd stick my neck out this far. Who does that?"

"We do," came the prompt reply as Hera pulled the ship out of hyperspace. An Imperial transporter sprung into view and a feeling of unease settled into Ezra's stomach as Hera opened a communication channel.

"Imperial transport 651, this is _Starbird_ coming inbound."

"State your business," a man's voice demanded.

"Bounty," Hera answered. "We captured an additional Wookiee prisoner and have transfer orders to place him with you."

"We have no such orders." A pair of TIE fighter broke away from the transport and circled the _Ghost_.

"That's fine. We already got paid. . ._By Governor Tarkin_. If you don't want the over sized  Monong, I'll jettison here. Let you explain to your superiors why the Empire has one less slave." Hera's voice had remained cold and clinical throughout the exchange and Ezra shivered slightly as he waited to see what would happen.

"Permission to dock," the man finally replied. "Bay 1."

Hera smirked at Ezra, who grimaced as the feeling of unease doubled. The ship docked and the mission began. It seemed an eternity before Kanan's voice came over the intercom.

"No troopers. Security's soft." His voice faded to static and Hera's hands flew to the controls.

"Spectre-1 come in. Spectre-4? Spectre-5?"

The crackled of static was her only answer.

"Ah, com's down," she sighed, fiddling with the controls. "No, not down – jammed?"

Ezra twitched.

"Something's coming," he muttered, snapping his gaze to the window half a second before a ship appeared.

"That's an Imperial stardestroyer," Hera gasped.

"This whole thing was a setup!" Ezra exclaimed, the uneasy feeling finally making sense.

"It's beginning to look that way," Hera agreed, already prepping the ship for escape.

"Not looks. _Is_," Ezra corrected. "We need to leave. Now!"

"You need to board the transport and warn them."

"What? Why don't you do it?"

"I need to be ready to take off," Hera explained. "Or none of us stands a chance."

"No. No way." Ezra shook his head frantically. "Why should I risk my life for a bunch of strangers?"

"Because Kanan risked his for _you_. If all you ever do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing."

Ezra froze and his blood ran cold at the frighteningly familiar words. For a moment he forgot how to breath, then Hera's earlier words registered.

". . .need you Ez –"

"Don't lie to me!"

* * *

Hera froze as eyes filled with pain and anger locked onto hers.

"He didn't risk his life for me. He did it to get those nmad blasters! 'Rescuing' me? That was just an unwanted bonus! You can lie to yourself all you want, but don't _ever_ lie to me! . . please." The last word came out as a barely audible plea.

Ezra exhaled slowly and moved his gaze back to the destroyer, and Hera let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"I'll warn them," he said softly. "For three reason and three reasons only."

He stood up. "For one, however unintentional, you people _did_ help me escape the Imperials. For another. . ."

He paused at the door and turned to offer Hera a small, sad smile. "They're precious to you. Enough precious people have been stolen."

The door opened and Ezra dashed through, leaving behind a surprised and slightly confused pilot.

Hera spun forward, frowning as she pre-calculated the jump to lightspeed.

"Kid's got some intense eyes," she told the empty cabin. "What was the third reason?"

Ezra dashed onto the transport.

"It's a trap! We gotta get out of here. It's a trap!" He yelled, rounding a corner and spotting Kanan and Zeb.

"Karabast!" Zeb swore. "Kid's blowing another op."

"It's not an op," Ezra snapped back, skidding to a stop in front of them. "It's a _trap_. Hera sent me to warn you. I'd tell you to check but they've jammed the coms, which _should_ have been your first clue, ssabmud!"

The door behind the two men slid open before either could reply, revealing a squad of troopers.

"Run!" Kanan shouted. They dashed past Ezra who paused to fire his slingshot at the door's locking panel. The small ball of energy hit the bomb Kanan had planted just before Ezra arrived causing it to detonate.

"We need to warn Sabine and Chopper," Ezra told them once he'd caught up. "But, like I said, they've jammed the coms which, also like I said, _should have told you it was a trap_!"

"They'll follow the plan," Kanan replied, ignoring Ezra's other comments. "It'll be fine."

"Yeah, 'cause the plan's gone just _great_ so far," Ezra scoffed, but followed after them anyway.

Stormtroopers rounded the corner in front of them.

"Don't stop," Kanan ordered, drawing his blaster. "Push off now!"

The floor fell away and Ezra floundered as the sudden lack of gravity threw off his balance. A large hand landed on his head and Zeb pushed himself forward and Ezra down out of the line of fire.

"Oi!" Ezra cried as the motion caused his hat to loosen and start to drift away. "Don't touch the hat!"

He tugged it back down and yelped as a shot came close enough to leave a small burn mark on his sleeve. Instinctively he grabbed onto the first secure thing he could reach, which happened to be Zeb's leg.

"Hey!" Zeb cried as Ezra scrambled up his back and latched on. He glanced back and was met with a pair wide, blue eyes. With an internal groan, Zeb turned his attention back to the troopers. Ezra held onto his hat with one hand and clung to his impromptu ride with the other as Zeb smashed his way through the troopers and pulled them around a corner.

"You doing ok, kid?" Kanan called back as he lead the way to the _Ghost_.

"You kidding?" Ezra answered as Zeb pried him loose. He kicked off the wall after the two men, still firmly holding onto his hat. They had just reached the corridor that lead to the air lock and the _Ghost_ when the gravity came back on. Ezra landed on all fours with a grunt. Zeb hauled him up by his backpack and they took off after Kanan.

A few feet from the door Zeb shoved Ezra aside, his nails catching on Ezra's hat and pulling it off.

"My hat!" Ezra cried, surprise stopping him in his tracks as he ran a hand through his exposed hair. He glared after Zeb and made to charge after him when he was yanked back.

"Let go!" He cried, struggling against the arm holding him in place.

"Kid, get out of the way!" Zeb yelled, trying to get a clear shot.

"I'm. . .trying!" Ezra choked out and drove his elbow into his captor's stomach. The man retaliated by fisting his hand in Ezra's hair and tightening his chokehold. Ezra let out a strangled cry and tugged at the arm wrapped around his neck.

"Sorry, kid!" Zeb ducked behind the airlock door to avoid the trooper's fire. "You did good."

The door slid shut.

"We're out of here!" Hera's voice announced over the intercom and Zeb slumped against the door with a sigh. He shook his hand free of the kid's hat and stared at it. A pair of bright blue eyes filled with hurt and resignation swam in front of him.

"Karabast!" he swore and shoved the hat into his pocket.

* * *

"The whole thing was a setup," Kanan declared, dropping into his seat.

"You think Vizago was in on it?" Sabine asked, following Kanan into the cockpit.

"He'd sell his own mother to Jawas for a couple credits," Hera answered dryly. "But we're a source of income for him. Even odds, he didn't know. The kid did all right."

"He did ok," Kanan corrected and looked over at Zeb, who'd just arrived. "Where is he?"

"I, uh, thought he was with you."

"Zeb, what did you do to him?" Sabine asked warily.

"I didn't do anything to him," Zeb answered sharply, before continuing in a quieter mumble. "But that I.S.B. agent grabbed him."

"What?!" the others cried.

"The kid got grabbed, ok?"

"Garazeb Orrelios!" Hera scolded.

"Oh, come on! We were dumping him after the mission anyway. This saves us fuel. They'll go easy on him. He's just a kid." Even as he said it, guilt welled up inside him and the kid's hat burned a hole in his pocket.

* * *

Ezra looked up as the door to his cell opened and scowled. It was the man that grabbed him.

"I am Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau." The man informed him, walking into the cell. "And you are?"

"Jabba the Hutt," Ezra answered sarcastically. "Look, I just met those guys today. I don't know anything."

"You're not here for what you know, 'Jabba.'" Kallus stopped in front him, somehow managing to look both disgusted and indifferent at the same time. "You're here to be used as bait upon our return to Lothal."

"Bait?" Ezra choked out. "You seriously think – Wow. You're about as bright as a binary droid. They're not gonna come for me.

"People don't do that." Ezra finished quietly.

Agent Kallus took a deep breath and loomed over Ezra, eyes scanning the kid's face.

'Young,' he decided. 'Mid-teens at highest, preteen at youngest.'

Normally he was better at guessing a persons' age, but it was always hard with people like this, their lifestyle tended to age them prematurely. The eyes usually told him the most about a person, and right now they were telling him the kid believed every word he'd said. It didn't matter. A plan was a plan, and always better tried and failed, then never tried and opportunity lost.

But still, he never much liked dealing with children, they were just too. . . _innocent_; the way they could believe something so completely and were so full of hope always made him feel. . .Well the fact that they made him feel anything was enough of a reason to get rid of them.

He glanced away from the kid's face and brushed a bit of non-existed dirt off his shoulder, ignoring the small flinch and confused look, before straightening and walking back out of the cell.

"Search him," he ordered the sentries. "Then secure him here."

The troopers nodded and entered the cell. One grabbed Ezra's bag, throwing it and Ezra, who'd refused to let go, to the floor. The other grabbed Ezra's arm.

"Hey, get off me!" Ezra cried, straining against the vice-like grip. The trooper ignored him as he removed Ezra's energy sling shot. "Let go!"

Still silent, they left with his things, the door slamming behind them.

"You need to go warn them, Ezra," he mimicked in Hera's voice. "What was I thinking?"

He sighed and stood up, his hand brushing against a hidden pocket and he pulled out the object inside.

"And of course," he continued to himself as he sat down and fingered the strange cube. "The only thing I managed to hold onto is this. . .worthless. . .piece of –"

He struggled with it for a few minutes, trying to get it to open. It remained stubbornly the same and with an irritated grunt, Ezra threw it across the room where it hit the wall with a bang and bounced to the floor. He stared at it, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair, missing the comforting weight of his hat. He heaved another sigh as he propped his elbows up on his knees and laced his fingers together.

'Can this day get any worse?' he thought, dropping his head on his hands and closing his eyes.

'Deep breath. Deep breath and let it go.' He chanted, relaxing ever so slightly as a familiar calm settled in him.

_"__This is Master Obi Wan Kenobi."_ A voice informed him, and Ezra twitched as the sudden interruption. _"I regret to report that both our Jedi order –"_

Ezra's head shot up and he gaped at the holographic man hovering in front of him.

_"– __and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder to any surviving Jedi: Trust in the Force."_

Ezra's head dropped back into his hands as the image finished speaking.

"No, no, no, no. _Please, no_!" he moaned. "This isn't supposed to happen! Not to _me_. Please, _please_ don't let this be happening to me."

His plea had no effect on the now silent holocron. Heart hammering in his chest, he stared at it, hands shaking as they tangled in his hair and his breath came in short, sharp gasps. Then it hit, as suddenly and forcefully as if someone had smashed a frying pan upside his head he was thrown into a memory from a time he had long since sworn never to think about.

* * *

_A young, blue haired, blue eyed boy dressed in rags stood, shoulders hunched and shaking._

_"__P-please," he coughed, extending a hand._

_It would have been a very pitiable sight if it weren't for the fact that the boy's coughs sounded all too fake._

_"__No, no, no!" A girl cried, shaking her head and heaving a sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you? Cough from your lungs, with your stomach. Not. Your. Throat!"_

_The boy straightened, scowling, and two pairs of identical blue eyes glared at each other. The two children could easily pass as siblings, though it was difficult to tell with the girl's hair tucked up under a bright yellow hat, and most of the time they acted like the best of brothers and sisters. . .except for moments like this._

_"__I don't like it," the boy muttered, breaking eye contact. "I hate it. I hate having to trick people, I hate having to steal. I – I just hate it!"_

_He turned away, body shaking as he tried to suppress his tears. The girl sighed softly, her own scowl fading to a sad, tired look of understanding as she walked over and put an arm around the boy._

_"__I know you hate it and I hate it too. It isn't right and it isn't fair. None of it is. If it were, well, we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't be on our own." She kept her voice soft as she spoke and slowly the boy stopped shaking._

_"__But we are. We have to take care of ourselves. We have to survive if we're going to make any of our dreams real. Right now, we're kids. No one's going to give us a job and that doesn't leave a whole lot of options._

_"__I know you don't like stealing and I know you don't like tricking people. You're just too good a person to like it," she said with a wry smile. He grumbled under his breath, but didn't bother hiding his own smile. "And I'm glad. I hope you never start liking it. I want you to stay this way, forever. But more than that, I want you to _live_ and to do that you have to _survive.

_"__Try to think of it this way," she continued. "If you can convince someone to give it to you of their own free will, then you won't have to steal it later. Besides, it's their choice to help or not."_

_She ruffled his hair and he scowled half-heartedly. __"__Ready to go again?"_

_He sighed and looked at the setting sun. "Yeah."_

_"__Good." She moved a couple of feet away. "Now convince me to help, and remember the number one rule!"_

_"'__The only person who will always be there for me is myself,'" he recited, rolling his eyes. He grinned at her. "And you. We'll always have each other's backs. Right?"_

_He wasn't quite able to keep the fear and uncertainty out of his voice as he looked at her._

_"__Always." She promised firmly. "As long as you need me or want me, I'll always be there."_

* * *

With a gasp Ezra jerked back to the present and looked around frantically. He was still in a cell, aboard a stardestoyer, lightyears from Lothal, and. . . completely alone.

Or was he? Heart still beating wildly, he reviewed the memory.

"You're right," he whispered. "This isn't the time to be panicking or feeling sorry for myself. I need to figure a way out of this mess."

He stood and inspected the cell. No air ducts, sewers, or other crawl spaces here. The only thing there was the holocron glinting faintly on the floor. He picked it up. Light bounced off the glass, lighting it up and reminding him a lot of a certain pair of mischievous eyes.

"And I think I have the perfect plan." He smirked and tucked the holocron away, thinking back to the coughing lesson.

* * *

"No. No. No. No way! You cannot be serious!"

"It's our fault he was there," Hera shot back, frowning at Zeb.

"Come on, Hera!" Zeb argued, pacing the cockpit. "We just met this kid. We're not going back for him!"

"They'll be waiting for us," Sabine added quietly. "We can't save him."

Zeb nodded, glad to have someone on his side, and leaned against the door frame, glaring at nothing and trying not to think about the object in his pocket. Chopper shook a probe at him and Sabine and grumbled as he moved to stand next to Hera.

"What?" Zeb asked uneasily. "What did he say?"

"He voted with me," Hera smirked. "That's two against two. Kanan, you have the deciding vote."

Kanan looked at her for a moment and glanced away. She would never say it, but her eyes begged him to side with her, to save the kid. He felt torn. Logically, Zeb and Sabine were right; going back was foolish, suicidal even, especially for a kid that didn't know anything and would probably be released after a short stay. . .probably.

He forcefully silenced the voice that whispered that the Empire would never treat anyone fairly, kid or not, and hadn't he seen enough to know that?

He exhaled slowly. The memory of the kid's eyes staring him up and down flashed through his mind and with it the familiar feeling of _that_. He groaned internally.

* * *

". . .and you bucket heads are gonna be sorry when my uncle, the Emperor, finds out your keeping me here against my will!" Ezra shouted at the door as he had been for, what he guessed to be, the past thirty minutes. He swallowed and grimaced at the scratchy feel of his throat, but ignored it. It would only make the next part more believable.

"I guarantee he'll make a personal –" he coughed. "– example –"

He let loose a stream of haggard, gasping coughs as he tucked himself under the stairs.

'Three, two. .'

Right on cue the door slid opened and two troopers hurried inside, rushing right past him and into the cell. Ezra dashed up the stairs.

"Bye, guys." He called down to them, mock saluting with one hand and hitting the locking panel with the other.

"Alright," he whispered. "If you're still here, show me where to go."

His eyes slid to the right and he could almost feel **that person** pulling him along.

"Got it."

He followed the feeling into a supply room and over to a stack of crates. Sitting on top of one were his things. He hastily packed up the items and slipped on his pack, remounting his sling as he looked around. A row of trooper helmets caught his eye and he grinned. If they were going to take his things, it was only fair he return the favor.

He grabbed one and dropped it on his head. Almost immediately static filled his ears and he rolled his eyes.

'Honestly,' he thought, looking around the room. 'What kind of idiot leaves their transmitter on? Stormtroopers have to be the laziest people in the galaxy or the dumbest.'

He spotted a ventilation grill and a few seconds later he was crawling along the destroyer's inner workings.

'I've spent more time crawling through air ducts in _space_ than I have on solid ground. Oh the irony of –' His inner cynic was silenced as a man's voice came over the helmet's built-in com.

"The delay was insignificant. The transport Agent Kallus diverted will dock on Kessel within two hours. The Wookiees will be off-loaded to work spice mine K-77."

'Wookiees?' Ezra's mind raced as he crawled along. Could the man be talking about the same Wookiees _those people_ had been trying to rescue? If so –

"This is stormtrooper LS – 005 reporting to Agent Kallus," a second voice informed him.

"Kallus here."

"Sir, t-the prisoner's gone."

"Tihs!" Ezra hissed. "I was hoping it would take them longer. . .Oh, well."

He sighed and increased his speed, attention split between moving as silently as possible and listening in on the conversation.

"How did they get aboard?" Kallus's voice demanded.

"Sir, the rebels didn't free him. He, uh –"

"Agent Kallus," a fourth person interrupted. "There's a security breach in the lower hanger. I don't know how, but the rebel ship –" Ezra inhaled sharply. "– approached without alerting our sensors."

"They came back? I –I don't believe it" The intercom crackled and with a start Ezra realized he'd stopped moving. Giving his head a quick shake, he started forward.

"Order all troopers to converge on the lower hanger," Kallus ordered. "I'll meet them there."

'Not if I can help it. That's my ticket outta here!' He paused again and cleared his throat.

"This is stormtrooper LS – 123 reporting intruders in the upper hanger," Ezra announced in a deeper than normal voice. "Sir, I believe the lower hanger is a diversion."

"Maybe, maybe not." Kallus replied and Ezra's heart skipped a beat. "Squads 5 – 8, divert to upper hanger. The rest converge as ordered."

Ezra turned the transmitter back to one-way with a sigh of relief. "Well, every little bit helps."

Barely a minute later he was looking through a grill into the lower hanger as a familiar ship landed.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived," he said, voice torn between sarcasm and relief.

He quickly crawled back to an unsealed grill and dropped to the floor. The air lock that opened into the hanger was shut, but it only took him a minute to override the lock and open the door. Almost immediately three figures rushed by and he blinked in surprise.

"Hold this bay till we get back," Kanan ordered, glancing over his shoulder at Zeb.

"And this time," Sabine added. "Try not to leave until everyone's back aboard."

"That was not my fault!"

"Well _that's_ debatable," came a sarcastic voice behind them and all three whipped around, weapons raised. There was a brief pause as they processed the sight in front of them: the kid they'd come to rescue was leaning against the door frame, a trooper helmet on his head, and radiating equal amounts of amusement and irritation.

Zeb recovered first, reacting almost immediately at the sight of Imperial armor, he rushed forward swinging his fist. The kid yelped and twisted out of the way of the oncoming attack.

"Tah ssa etelpmoc uoy!" the kid snarled, raising the helmet enough for them to see his very angry face. "First you ditch me, then you hit me?!"

"How was I supposed to know it was you?" Zeb shot back. "You were wearing a bucket!"

Ezra's eyes flashed, but the sound of running feet distracted him.

"Tch! We don't have time for this." He snapped. "Unless you _want_ to face about four squads of troopers?"

He edged around Zeb and Kanan nodded. "Spectre -1 to _Ghost_, we're leaving."

Half-way back to the ship the troopers arrived and opened fire.

"Timmad!" Ezra swore and dove out of the way of a shot that would have left himan arm short. The move knocked the helmet off his head and he threw it back at his attackers as he jumped back to his feet. Sabine was ahead of him, firing at the troopers as she ran and he followed. She sprinted for the ship and up the ramp, disappearing in the direction of the nose gun. Ezra followed up till the ramp where he stopped to prime his sling for a shot.

"Oh, no!" Zeb growled, grabbing a fistful of Ezra's jacket. "This time _you_ board first!"

Ezra's eyes widened as he bodily lifted off the deck and all but thrown into the ship.

"_Ghost_,raise the ramp," Kanan called, still firing at the troopers.

Ezra stumbled as the ship lurched into motion and braced himself against the wall as a resounding bang rocked the ship. Grumbling under his breath, he made his way toward the only crew member that seemed willing to tolerate his presence.


	3. Spark of Rebellion: Wookiee Rescue

**Spark of Rebellion: Wookiee Rescue**

* * *

Hera let out a sigh of relief as the ship entered hyperspace and relaxed into her seat. Her moment of peace was short lived as the door opened behind her. A flash of orange was all she needed to know who it was.

"Welcome aboard – again."

"Thanks, er, thank you. I really didn't think you'd come back for me."

Hera turned to look at him, and did a double take. She'd known he was young from his voice and size, but without his hat he looked _young_.

"I'll get you home now," she promised, spinning forward to enter the coordinates and doubly glad now that they had rescued him. She glanced back at him. as she worked. "I'm sure your parents must be worried sick."

An emotion flashed across Ezra's face too fast for her to register what it was before he looked away. "What parents?"

The question was so softly spoken, Hera wasn't sure she heard it, but the way he tucked his chin into the folds of his scarf and the ringing silence told her all she needed to know, and more. Abruptly he stepped to the side. The door opened and Kanan and Sabine walked in.

"Besides," he said, as if carrying on a conversation they'd been having. "You've got somewhere else to be. I know where they're really talking the Wookiees."

Everyone tensed, even Chopper, and the atmosphere grew immediately serious.

"Have you ever heard of the spice mines of Kessel?"

"Slaves sent there last a few months," Sabine answered slowly. "Maybe a year."

"And for Wookiees born in the forest it's a death sentence," Hera added.

'Makes sense,' Ezra thought and ran a hand through his hair. "Better go save them then."

The crew members exchanged looks.

"And you're including yourself in that, are you?" Sabine asked skeptically.

"Come this far. Might as well finish the job." Ezra answered with a small smirk and a shrug.

'Besides, you don't have time to waste dropping me off,' Ezra thought as Hera reentered a set of coordinates, this time for Kessel. 'Not that you would have anyway.'

Kanan eyed the kid, steeling himself as their eyes met. No strange, soul-searching stare this time, instead he was met with a clear, inquisitive gaze. He spun his seat forward. There would be time to think about the kid later, right now he had a rescue to plan. . . again.

Ezra sighed quietly and sat in the only remaining chair, shoving his hands in his pockets as he slouched as low as he could, a move that pushed his scarf up past his nose and let his over grown bangs flop over his eyes, hiding his face from view.

Sabine, who'd been watching him out of the corner of her eye, frowned. While she'd called him 'kid,' she had done so more as a way of passively tell him she wasn't interested than because of his age. Truth be told, despite the fact that he was several inches shorter than her, she'd originally though he was her age, maybe even older. But no, without his hat, she'd been able to get a good look at his face and it was obvious he was younger than her. She drummed her fingers on her helmet as she thought.

It had to be the way he carried himself, she finally decided. He didn't have that awkwardness or lack of coordination most young teens had as they adjusted to a constantly growing and changing body. He didn't over-reach or underestimate the length of his stride, instead he moved with. . . Well she wouldn't call it _grace_.

'More like a cocky assurance,' she thought. 'And he's definitely awkward, socially at least.'

She jerked out of her mental musing as Kanan outlined his newest plan.

* * *

'Back where it all started,' Ezra thought wryly, using the wall of the loading bay to help keep his balance as the ship swung around. The sound of a laser canon told him the plan had begun.

"Try not to get dead. Don't want to carry your body out."

Ezra flicked his gaze to the, until then silent, Lasat, but before he could snap back a reply Zeb shoved something at him. A worn, faded yellow something.

"My hat!" His whole face lit up as he fingered the material, and he missed the flash of guilt that crossed the Zeb's face as he tugged the hat on and carefully tucked his hair underneath.

Not a moment later the ship landed and the bay door opened. They rushed out, dodging blaster fire as they took cover. Ezra pulled his scarf up over his nose as he peaked around a crate, then glanced back at Kanan, who nodded. Having received his signal, Ezra darted off while Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb drew the trooper's attention and fire away from him.

Ezra kept one eye on the stormtroopers as he made his way around to the Wookiees. Once he was almost behind them he left cover and darted into the milling group of prisoners.

"I'm here to help," he said quickly, holding up one hand in a pacifying gesture and tugging the scarf off his face with the other.

The two Wookiees immediately in front of him exchanged growls and held out their cuffed hands.

'Thicker material, but standard locking,' Ezra noted as he pulled out his trusty tool. In a matter of seconds half the Wookiees were free and attacking the troopers from behind. Ezra glanced at the fallen Imperials and smirked.

"That everyone?" he asked the nearest Wookiee, looking around. A whining whir reached his ears and his head shot up.

"Incoming!" He yelled as the TIEs opened fire on the _Ghost_. "Take cover!"

The warning came too late as an Imperial ship swooped down and fired on the group. While none of the them were hit, the impact of the shots striking earth was enough to send them all toppling to the ground.

"Take them down!" a familiar and much hated voice shouted.

Cursing softly at the sight of Kallus and a dozen or so troopers, Ezra pushed himself up. A Wookiee fell to his left and he dashed over. Zeb was already there.

"He'll be ok. I've got him." Zeb pulled the Wookiee up and half carried, half dragged him to cover. The Wookiee let out a growl that was almost a whine as he stared at something behind the line of stormtroopers. Following his gaze, Ezra saw a trooper chasing after a Wookiee so small it could only be. . .

"His child?"

A flash of red streaked by his head and he ducked, cursing as he was forced to followed the others to cover. He dodged around Zeb, who was returning fire with Sabine while Kanan coordinated with Hera over the com, and stopped by the injured Wookiee.

"Put this on and stay here." He shoved a medicine infused bandage at the hairy alien. "I'll get your kid."

Their eyes met and an understanding passed between them. Then Ezra was gone, running off in the direction he'd seen the kid moving and ignoring Zeb's call.

He wouldn't let a kid get hurt in front of him. He'd rescue the kid, keep him safe, and this time –

'This time I won't fail. Not again. _Never_ again!'

"Come one, kid, where are you?" He panted as he ran. The sound of a blaster rifle answered him and he increased his speed. Rounding a corner, he saw the Wookiee child dash out onto a long, narrow walkway. He groaned. "Not there. That's a dead end."

"Hey, you!" he hollered, and both the Wookiee and trooper spun around to face him. Ezra crouched as the trooper aimed his gun at him and a familiar whistling whispered in his ears.

"Oh, _now_ you decide to show up?" he muttered crossly.

The trooper pulled the trigger but before the shot even left the barrel a loud shout of '_up_!' echoed through Ezra's head.

He leapt into the air, activating his slingshot as he soared over the trooper's head and firing several shots as he landed. The stromtrooper stumbled back, hitting the railing. One more shot to man's head sent him tumbling over the edge into the pit below.

"Gotcha!" Ezra flicked his wrist, holstering his sling as he turned to young Wookiee. "Hey, buddy, how 'bout we get this off, hm?"

The Wookiee made a small sound of agreement and Ezra smiled as he examined the cuffs. They were a smaller version of the ones he'd removed from the adult Wookiees and just as easily removed.

"Care to do the honors?" Ezra asked holding out the cuffs. The kid nodded, grabbing the cuffs and throwing them far off the side of the walkway. Ezra whistled. "Good arm, ki-"

Footsteps rang out behind him and Ezra whipped around, shoving the Wookiee behind him.

"It's over for you, Jedi." Kallus said, marching toward them, blaster pointed straight at Ezra's heart. "A master and an apprentice – such a rare find these days."

"I don't know where you get your delusions, _buckethead_," Ezra spat, swallowing the more colorful words he would have used had there not been a child present. "I work alone."

"Not this time." Kanan's voice corrected as the man appeared, standing atop the _Ghost_ lightsaber in hand. A small part of Ezra's mind not preoccupied with staying alive, snickered at the rather dramatic sight.

Kallus fired at Kanan, who nimbly dodged a few shots before using his laser sword to deflect one back at the I.S.B. agent. It hit him squarely in the chest, knocking Kallus backwards off the walkway.

"Jump, kid." Kanan ordered as the _Ghost_ lowered slightly. Nodding to the Wookiee, Ezra dashed to the edge and jumped the railing.

* * *

Kanan watched as the two landed, noting the way Ezra steadied the young Wookiee, before leading them to the hatch and into the ship to the loading bay, the only area with a ceiling high enough for the Wookiees. As soon as the kid saw his father he bolted for the ladder and ran straight to him. The dark haired Wookiee met him half way and wrapped him in a hug.

It was a touching sight and Ezra couldn't help but smile slightly even as a pang of longing shot through him and his heart throbbed painfully.

Kanan smiled softly, eyes shifting from the reunited family to Ezra. He reached to pat him on the shoulder for a job well done but before he could touch him Ezra flinched away. Kanan raised a brow in question and Ezra looked away, a look of fearful wariness changing to embarrassment as he realized Kanan hadn't meant to hurt him. Deciding not to press the issue, Kanan walked off to join the others.

After greeting the Wookiees and informing them of the plan to get them home, Kanan caught Hera's eye and gestured to the cockpit. She nodded and made her way over.

"Hey, kid, what's your name?"

Kanan turned to see Ezra standing next to the small Wookiee and shifting from foot to foot as if unsure what to do.

"He says it's 'Kitwarr,'" Sabine translated for him and Ezra nodded his thanks.

"So, Kitwarr. . .wanna hear a story?" Kitwarr nodded and Ezra's shoulders relaxed slightly as he grinned. "Great, I got just the one! Hope you like pirates."

Kanan shook his head as he followed after Hera, amused and slightly surprised.

'Children,' he thought. 'They always find a way to be happy.'


	4. Spark of Rebellion: Test of Faith

**Spark of Rebellion: Test of Faith**

* * *

It was a short few hours later that the Wookiees boarded a small transport that would take them to their home world. An arm wrapped around his son's shoulders, the leader of the Wookiees paid his final respects to the crew.

"Um, he says if we ever need any help, the Wookies will be there." Sabine translated.

The large Wookiee patted Ezra on the head who, much to Kanan's surprise, tolerated the gesture. Though, as soon as the large alien removed his hand Ezra was straightening his hat with a half-hearted mutter of, "Don't touch my hat."

The smaller Wookiee gave a low growl.

"He say thanks for the. . .stori_es_?" The last word came out a question, but Ezra either didn't catch it or ignored it as he grinned at the younger boy.

"Glad you liked 'em! We meet again and I'll tell you another, 'k? Oh, and good luck, Kitwarr," Ezra called as the last two Wookiees left the _Ghost_. "Try to stay out of trouble."

"Look who's talking," Zeb snorted, moving past Ezra to shut the airlock.

"So. . .I guess you drop me off next?"

"Uh, yeah. Finally, right?" Zeb asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Right." Ezra muttered, walking back up the ramp to the main part of the ship. He leaned against the ladder leading to the dorsal gun, allowing Zeb and Sabine to pass him. Just as Kanan was doing the same the transport disconnected, rocking the ship and causing Ezra to stumble into Kanan.

"Oh. Uh, sorry." Ezra took a few hasty steps back, moving his hands ever so slightly behind his back. With an internal sigh, Kana followed after the others.

As soon as Kanan was out of sight, Ezra removed his hands from behind his back and, with a tiny smile, fitted the two pieces of Kanan's lightsaber together. He admired it for a moment before slipping it into his pack and climbing the ladder to the highest point in the ship, the dorsal gun well.

Once there, he dropped into the seat, exhausted, the small aches and dull throbbing in his head telling him it had been almost 24 hours since he'd last slept. He tugged off his backpack and propped his feet on the consol in front of him, being careful not to hit any of the buttons or switches as he made himself comfortable.

Something gabbed him in the side, and grumbling he pulled out the holocron. It was no longer a cube, the corners having rotated after it had decided to piece itself back together once 'Master Obi Wan Kenobi's' message had finished. Frowning at it, Ezra considered forcing the corners back into place, but if he did that. . .

"A test," he muttered scornfully. "Not bad enough they all but kidnap me, leave me at the mercy of Imperials, and then drag me into a nearly suicidal rescue mission, oh no! They have to 'test' me too."

His head throbbed painfully and with a tired sigh he shoved the device into his bag and pulled his hat down over his eyes. He was tired and thinking about anything, especially if it was related to **that person**, was the last thing he wanted to do. With a last look at the glowing blue tunnel of hyperspace, Ezra let the hum of the ship's engine lull him to sleep.

* * *

The sudden change in engine noise and light as the ship dropped out of hyperspace woke Ezra a few hours later, and he watched through bleary eyes as Lothal loomed closer and closer.

"Ezra?" Hera's voice came over the ship's internal comm. "We'll be landing outside Capital City. Is that close enough to home for you?"

He stifled a snort as he sat up.

'Haven't had a home longer than you've had this ship,' he thought bitterly, slinging his pack over his shoulders and straightening his hat.

"Yeah, it's fine!" He hollered down, unsure how the comms worked, but wanting to make sure they heard him. He winced slightly as his voice echoed back at him over the hidden speakers, but no one commented so he let his worries go with a sigh. His hand brushed against the holocron and he fingered it, thinking hard.

He knew what **that person** would do, oh boy did he know! And he knew what he should do, but was it really the _right_ thing to do? And what about what _he_ wanted?

He gave a bitter chuckle at that thought.

No, what he wanted didn't matter. It never did and it never would. All that mattered was **that person**. **That person** and all that was stolen from them because of. . .because of _him_.

The ship jolted as it landed and Ezra stuffed the holocron in a pocket as he stood up and stretched before making his way down to the loading bay and the exit. Hopping off the ladder he saw Sabine working on Chopper. He offered her a small smile and returned the droid's wave. He sighed and walked over to Zeb.

"So, uh, see you around?"

"Not if we see you first." Zeb chuckled, punching him on the shoulder. Ezra let the hit spin him around, wincing.

"Don't worry," he snapped back, irritation and anxiety making his voice sharper than intended. "You won't."

Kanan and Hera stood just off the ship, waiting for him. The sight made his heart tighten painfully. When was the last time anyone had waited for him? And why, _why_, did he care so much?

"I think you have something that belongs to me," Kana said, arms crossed. Ezra reached for the hidden pocket containing the holocron, then changed his mind.

'If they're going to test me, I'm gonna do the same,' he thought and tossed Kanan his lightsaber instead. 'Time to see how serious you really are.'

"May the Force be with you, Je'daii," he whispered, just loud enough for Kanan to hear him as he passed, and broke into a run.

* * *

"Well, at least you got your lightsaber back," Hera commented dryly before continuing in a more serious tone. "Still don't know if he passed the test or not."

"He did," Kanan answered, frowning after the shrinking figure.

"How do yo –"

"He as good as told me." He hung the laser sword back on his belt and headed after the boy. His mind was racing with a thousand questions and reasons why this was a bad idea, all fueled by doubts and uncertainty. But, more strongly than anything else, was the innate, Force driven sense that this was _right_.

'Please, don't let this be a mistake.' He prayed as he quickened his pace.

* * *

Ezra paused outside the door to his 'house.' He didn't want to go in. He never did. There were just too many reminders, too many memories of **that person**.

Stealing himself, he opened the door and made his way over to the small table. He set down his pack and pulled out the stolen device. The feeling he'd felt so many times the past day came again and without even looking he knew who was staring at him.

"What's the Force?"

"The Force is everywhere." Kanan answered. "It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. And it's strong with you, Ezra. Otherwise, you'd never have been able to open the holocron."

He gestured to the object in Ezra's hand as he glanced around. The circular room was sparsely furnished. The tools scattered across the table said it doubled as a work bench and a few stormtrooper helmets stacked on top of some machinery told him the kid was no stranger to messing with Imperials. Idly, he wondered exactly _how _the kid had gotten those, but pushed the thought aside for later.

Besides those, there was almost nothing that showed anyone lived here. The only thing that suggested it was more than the abandoned tower it appeared to be was the kid standing in the middle of it.

The whole place felt dead and lifeless, which was why it confused him to no end that he could clearly sense _two_ people in the room when there was, quite plainly, only _one_.

"So, what do you want?"

"To offer you a choice," Kanan replied, focusing back on the task at hand. "You can stay here, let your collection of dusty souvenirs grow, or you can come with us – with me, and be trained in the ways of the Force. You can learn what it truly means to be a _Jedi_."

He put special emphasis on the last word, unsure if Ezra saying 'Je'daii' had been a mispronunciation or deliberate. Ezra, meanwhile, was torn between laughing like a mad man and crying hysterically. In an attempt to keep from doing either he cast about for something to say.

"So. . .Either way it doesn't sound like you're going to let me keep this?" He waved the holocron.

"No." Kanan shook his head and held out his hand. "That I need back."

"Figures," Ezra sighed. "The one thing the Imperials _didn't_ take is the one thing you shake me down for."

Kanan rolled his eyes. "I'm not sha–"

"Whatever." Ezra threw him the holocron with a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. The instant he did so the presence at the door vanished. Looking back he confirmed what he already knew, Kanan was gone.

He closed the door and leaned against it, letting his feet slide out from under him. He pulled off his hat and looked at it. It looked so old and faded, a far cry from the beautiful gift it had once been.

"I know you're there." His voice carried easily in the small, empty room. "You've been following me all day, and I know. . .I know what you're going to – what you _would_ say: that I should go with them, but. . ."

He swallowed thickly. "I'm not brave like - like you. I'm scarred."

A calm reassurance swept through him.

"I'll do it." He scrubbed the back of his hand across his face and took a shaky breath. "For you."

**That person's** presence radiated a happy reassurance.

"_But_! I'm gonna need help. I'm not - not strong like you. Can you help me?"

Determination that was most definitely not his shot through him.

"We'll always have each other's backs, right?" he asked with a grin, placing his hat back on his head. He looked up and for a second, he could almost swear he saw **that person** standing in front of him, smiling broadly as a single word drifted through the air.

"_Always_."


	5. The First 24

**The First 24**

* * *

The first of anything is always the hardest. Ezra knew that, what with all the firsts in his life; the first day on his own. The first time he stole. The first time he conned someone. The first time he ran, scared, from an angry figure. The first time he patched himself back together after getting hurt. The first time he feared for his life. . . And this first day as a member of the crew was proving just as nerve-racking as all those other firsts.

After finding Kanan and agreeing to join them, he'd been 'officially' introduced to the crew: Kanan, the secret Jedi and unspoken leader of the group. Hera, the pilot and owner of the _Ghost_. Chopper, Hera's astromech, who was the rudest, grouchiest droid Ezra had ever met. Zeb, whom Ezra had silent dubbed the group's 'muscle.' Sabine, the resident linguist, explosives expert, and artist – a point she'd made sure to stress.

Ezra had nodded along, but shifted uncomfortably when asked to introduce himself.

"Ezra. . .Bridger." he answered slowly, tugging at his hat as he thought about what else to add. "Um, street smart?"

There was an awkward pause and he rolled his eyes.

"Also thief, pickpocket, and amateur inventor," he added, flashing them a cocky grin as he primed his slingshot. He thought about adding 'survival expert' but held his tongue at the looks he was getting. "So. . .now what?"

"Now we leave," Kanan answered. Hera nodded and spun to face the controls as the rest of the crew left to do whatever it was they usually did.

Ezra let out a quiet sigh of relief and dropped into the seat next to Hera as she piloted them away from Lothal. He watched with mixed emotions as the his tower disappeared and absently rubbed his chest.

"Everything ok?"

He blinked and looked at the Twi'lek.

"Uh, yeah. Why?"

Hera stared at him and it saddened her to see that he seemed honestly confused by her question. "It's alright to be homesick."

Her comment earned her another confused look and she changed topics.

"So, what _was_ that third reason?"

"Third reason?"

"That you agreed to warn them?" She saw Ezra stiffen slightly before forcefully relaxing.

"That was a while ago," He answered dismissively, waving a hand. "Besides, everyone's here and fine so what does it matter?

"I'm gonna explore the ship," he added, and left before Hera could question him further.

* * *

Ezra sighed as the cockpit door closed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry," he whispered, "but that's personal."

Replacing his hat, Ezra headed off to re-explore the _Ghost_. Directly on either side of him were ramps leading down to the lower deck, but he ignored them. The only things down there were the cargo bays and engine room. He'd already spent more than enough time in the cargo holds and he wasn't about to go poking around an engine he wasn't familiar with. Not yet anyway.

A little further down the hall were the doors to the crews' quarters. He ignored those too and continued forward until he was face to rung with the ladder leading up to the dorsal gun. Ezra considered climbing up and enjoying the 360 view but the need to do _something_ was becoming overwhelming. His fingers twitched and he hastily stuffed them in his pockets, fiddling with a few of the many small pieces he had hidden away as he continued on.

His anxiousness was a holdover from years of surviving solely based on the principle of 'do or die.' It sometimes felt like his whole life had been a constant struggle to stay alive. Even during his 'down time,' when he wasn't finding or stealing food, he was messing with stuff, trying to fix or make something that would help him.

He wandered through the common room with its dining table that doubled as a holoprojector and opened the few doors. One was a bathroom and the other a locker. He didn't bother opening the closet; he'd seen all he needed to when Zeb had thrown him inside. The only other door was the one that lead to the galley. He poked through the cupboards and cabinets, and marveled at the amount of food they had.

Safety, security, the knowledge that there would was food to eat eat – that there would _be_ something to eat the next day, were foreign concepts to him.

Ezra shuddered and forcefully shut the cupboard door before he caved to the urge to stuff his pack and run. He left the room, hands firmly in his pockets and continued to wander the ship until Kanan found him and directed him to his cabin.

For one heart stopping second Ezra thought he was being lead to Kanan's room, and the idea that they would be rooming together flashed through his mind with a surprising amount of excitement. But the room they stopped at was different.

"You'll be rooming with Zeb."

"'K." Ezra was careful to keep his voice light and carefree, even as a wave of bitter disappointment rose and he was left to stand alone. Swallowing with surprising difficulty he made his way into the room.

Stuff was scattered about, not messily, in fact it looked pretty organized. The objects resting on the table, the papers tacked to the walls, even the pile of half folded clothes in the corner gave the place a certain feeling. It felt lived in. It felt like someone's home. And he felt like an intruder.

His eyes landed on the only thing untouched, the upper bunk.

"Guess that's mine." He chucked his bag onto it and began making his way over. A few steps in the door opened behind him. Ezra spun around, heart hammering and body tensed to run as if he'd been caught swiping credits. Zeb stood in the doorway, staring at him.

* * *

Grumbling under his breath, Zeb marched over. The kid shifted, looking a second from bolting, and he ground his teeth together. This wasn't going to be easy and of course the kid just had to make it harder!

"Look, ki – _Ezra_," he began. "I'm. . ."

"What was that?" Ezra asked, unable to hear what Zeb had muttered.

Zeb mumbled something.

"What?"

"Sorry!"

Ezra flinched back as if expecting a hit and Zeb winced internally. Given all that had happened between them he couldn't blame the kid for his reaction. Taking a deep breath he continued in a slightly softer voice.

"Sorry for – for letting you get grabbed and. . .leaving you."

* * *

Ezra's head swam as he tried to process what was happening.

'An apology? _Why_? A trick? A trap? No! No, don't think like that!' He gave himself a mental shake.

"It's fine. You guys came back an –"

"I tried to convince them not to. I told them that you were. . . "

Ezra froze, the rest of what Zeb said going unheard. He'd _known_, the same way he'd _known_ the holocron was a test, but to hear it admitted? It felt as if he'd been stabbed in the chest. He would have preferred it to the sharp pain twisting inside him. Taking a shaky breath, he forced down painful and confusing feelings.

". . . wouldn't do anything to a kid and–"

"You came back," Ezra repeated, cutting Zeb off. "Even if you didn't want to."

Zeb shifted uncomfortably.

"And more importantly you gave me my hat back. So – so yeah. I forgive you. Just don't ever touch my hat again!"

"Whatever, kid." The words were automatic, but Zeb couldn't help but smile a little as he made his way to his bed. The tension in the room was gone along with that irritating weight of guilt and all he wanted to do was sleep. "Bottom bunk's mine. Don't touch my stuff. Don't wake me up. Those are the rules. Break 'em and I end you."

It was a half – hearted warning at best, but he couldn't work up any real animosity. Not now anyway. He'd threaten the kid properly tomorrow.

"Yeah, yeah." Ezra muttered, rolling his eyes and climbing up into his bunk. He slipped off his shoes, shin guard, and knee pad and shoved them and his pack into the ledge hollowed out in the wall next to him and lay down. No blanket, no pillows, a wall to his left, a short drop on his right, and the ceiling only a few feet above his head.

He shifted, rolling so his back was to the wall, and moved himself away from the edge. Everything about this was strange, foreign, absolutely nothing familiar. Nothing except. . .

Ezra tensed at movement below him, relaxing slowly as the sound of steady breathing filled the room. His eyes drifted shut. It was oddly comforting, listening to someone sleep, the knowledge that he wasn't alone, that someone was _there_. He'd forgotten how much he missed it. The only break from loneliness the past few years had been when **that person** had made their presence known.

* * *

Ezra's eyes shot open and stared unseeingly at the ceiling above him. His body felt heavy, weighed down with the desire for sleep, but more pressing was the _need_ to talk to **that person**. He listened.

It sounded like Zeb was asleep, but he didn't know how heavy a sleeper he was. Biting his lip, Ezra sat up and slowly dropped to the floor, freezing the instant he landed. No change in Zeb's breathing.

Silent as a shadow he made his way to the door he hoped lead to the bathroom and slipped inside. Pulling out a small pen light, he looked around. A shower, a toilet, and a sink all crammed together in a space only slightly larger than the one in his tower. But just like in his tower there was a vent right in the middle of the ceiling.

Climbing onto the sink he pried it open and climbed inside, his light clenched between his teeth. He followed the vent until it widened into a small area meant for utility maintenance. Judging by the noise level he was right next to the engines.

'Perfect,' he thought, sitting up and pulling a small device from his pocket. 'Given the amount of dust no one's been here in ages and with the engine right there no one will be able to hear me.'

He set the almost circular object down and pressed a button. A picture flickered into view and he smiled, his first real one all day.

"Hey, it's me again. You're never going to believe what's happened–"


	6. Droids in Distress: Just Like Old Times

**Droids in Distress: Just Like Old Times**

* * *

"I don't have a shot!" Kanan shouted, trying and failing to take down the small swarm of TIE fighters.

"Chopper, do you have the coordinates?" The droid answered Hera with a grumble.

"What did he say?" Zeb asked.

"He said 'Hello, hyperspace.'" Hera answered, launching the ship into hyperspace.

"That's not what he said," Zeb grumbled. Ezra rolled his eyes as he watched the stars blur into steaks of light.

"Told you we'd get away."

Ezra and Sabine spun their chairs around to face Kanan as he entered the cockpit.

"With the shipment," Sabine corrected. "You said we'd get away _with_ the shipment."

"Kanan, we're low on everything." Hera said.

"Food."

"Explosives."

"Fuel. We need to make some money, or we might as well put the _Ghost _in storage." There was a grim silence as Hera finished.

"There's always Vizago's job," Kanan suggested.

"So we're arms dealers again?" Zeb asked stiffly.

"Mmm, more like arms redistributors."

"Come on," Zeb scoffed. "We don't even know what kind of weapons we're talking about here."

Ezra rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Hey, if it puts food on the table and frees up some time for – oh, I don't know – Jedi training, then I'm in."

Kanan pushed him back into his chair, noting that while Ezra tensed he didn't flinch***** away again, and turned to Hera. "You game?"

"Say I am. What then?"

"I already know the mission," he told with a grin. "Let's head to the spaceport."

* * *

Kanan outlined the plan as they traveled and Ezra scowled. He did not like his part, and as he boarded the shuttle and Chopper zipped past him he scowled harder.

'At least I won't have to act,' he thought grumpily, smacking Chopper as he sat down.

"This way, Mr. Wabo. We have seats in the front." Ezra caught Zeb's eye as the Imperial woman lead the way to a pair seats directly in front of Zeb and Sabine. The alien she was escorting began speaking and the woman sighed. "Where is that translator?"

"Coming Minister," a robotic voice called. "Come along R2."

Ezra stiffened at the sight of a bronze, humanoid shaped droid with a silver leg followed by blue astromech. His vision swam and the sound of distant voices echoed in his ears. A sharp gab from Chopper brought him back to reality. Holding the aggravating, orange rust bucket at bay with one hand, Ezra watched Kanan jump aboard at the last second and make his way to the seat directly behind him.

Once they were a few minutes into their flight Chopped backed off, contenting himself with seeing how many times he could poke Ezra before he got a reaction. Ezra glared at him but held his temper until a soft kick to the back of his chair told him to move the plan along.

"Will you cut it out!" He exploded, pushing Chopper away. "You have plenty of room! Stop crowding me."

Chopper grumbled back and jabbed him with an electrified probe. Yelping, Ezra was thrown back.

"Kid, how 'bout you get that rust bucket under control?" Kanan growled, standing up to glare down at the kid on the floor. Chopper rounded on him, taser extended, and Kanan was quick to jerk back out of his reach.

"Mind your own business!" Ezra snapped back, climbing to his feet. His efforts were rewarded with another semi-painful shock. Kanan stood again.

"Hey, pilot. Isn't there some rule against droids in the passenger area?"

Ezra moved his glare from Chopper and Kanan to the robotic pilot which let out a wheezy sigh.

"I am sorry, sir. Your astromech must proceed to the back on the craft."

"Hey, if my astromech's banished, then those two astromechs are banished too." Ezra jabbed his finger at the two droids by the minister. The larger of the two droids in question twitched.

"Astromech? Me? I have never been so insulted. I'll have you know that I am a protocol droid fluent in over six million forms –"

"Pilot," the minister cut in. "These two droid are with me, and I am on Imperial business."

"Sorry, ma'am, but these are Imperial regulations."

"Even their robots don't like them," Ezra snickered quietly as the robo-pilot turned back to the controls.

Kanan's lips twitched at the comment and he sat back down. Ezra flopped down in front of him as the minister's droids made their way back.

"Secret mission?" Ezra's ears pricked and he glanced sideways at the 'protocol droid.' "What secret mission?"

The blue astromech beeped an answer and Ezra cursed his inability to speak droid. There was just something about those two. They were important, he was certain of it, but as for why?

He frowned and rubbed his temple, before shrugging and putting it out of his mind. He'd think about it later.

* * *

Kanan kept one eye on Zeb and Sabine as they worked over the Imperial minister and the other on Ezra. The kid had been rubbing his head and frowning and Kanan had felt something from him, a brief flash of anxiety and confusion. He'd worried for a moment that Chopper had gone overboard and hurt Ezra, but whatever the problem was it didn't seem to be bothering him anymore.

As he watched Ezra moved over to the window and looked out, hat pushed back slightly and a look of wide-eyed excitement on his face as he watched space flash by. Lips twitching in a small smile, Kanan relaxed ever so slightly as the ship flew on.

* * *

Ezra continued to stare at everything as the ship docked and he disembarked, though he did make sure to wander out of the way as he did, pulling Chopper with him and pretending to be fixing him up as the bay emptied.

Sabine strolled casually by.

"Bay 7," she said softly, placing her helmet on her head.

"'Bout as good as I'm gonna get," he told Chopper, standing up and patting the droid on its 'head.' "Go stretch your wheels while I look for my luggage."

Chopper whirred and snapped at him, but left anyway and Ezra darted off, hopping up a stack of crates until he reached a vent and crawling inside.

'Just like old times,' he thought sourly and pulled out his com.

"Kanan, I thought you were gonna teach me Jedi stuff," he complained as he crawled along. "So far, all I'm doing is thieving, and I already knew how to do that."

"_Just get to Bay 7, open the door, and we all get paid_."

"So we steal to stay alive. See? Told you I already knew this. Could probably even give you some pointers," he added. There was a long sigh and Ezra knew he was trying the man's patience, but after two weeks of sitting around waiting for something, _anything_, he was willing to start being annoying.

Climbing onto the roof of whatever bay they had landed in, Ezra looked around. It was an eerily impressive view and he whistled lowly as he kicked the vent shut and headed in the direction of Bay 7.

He stopped at the edge of the building and grimaced. Bay 7 was in sight right in front of him, but the fastest and most direct route would involve jumping some very long distances over a very long way down.

"They have no idea how lucky they are I've done tihs like this before," he muttered crossly, backing up for a running start. Taking a deep breath and feeling **that person's** reassuring presence, he leapt.

The first jump wasn't bad, the distance was short and the target was below him so he didn't have to jump up, which was always harder. Rolling to lessen the impact Ezra let his momentum carry him through the next hurdle. Another fairly short jump, but the landing area was narrow and slanted, easy to slip off of and nothing to grab a hold of. But he'd had worse odd, way worse. He sized up the next jump and hesitated. The distance was farther and he would be jumping to higher ground.

A small shuttle streaked by, fast enough to rock him a little and he scowled after it. His eyes followed the long roof back to his feet and an idea hit him. Nodding, he ran a few feet to his right, turned, and sprinted back, letting gravity pull him slightly down the side. A faint whistling rang in his ears and he jumped. Pin wheeling his arms as he started to slip, he regained his balance and made the final leap to the roof of Bay 7.

'Never thought I'd miss ventilation,' he thought dryly as he slipped down the vertical shaft.

"Ok. I'm in Bay 7," he informed the others a few minutes later, climbing out of the vent and looking around. A couple of crates sat in the center but nothing nearby to shorten the fall.

"Jump and fall. Jump and fall." He muttered, using the grill to lower himself as much as possible. "What do they think I'm made of? Rubber?"

He fell, tucking himself into a ball as he did. He hit the ground and rolled all the way to the door, bleeding of the momentum. It was a trick he'd learned a long time ago to lessen the impact of falls, and one he'd learned the hard way.

He tapped at the bay's key pad and absently rubbed his right knee, fingers bumping against armor. The scavenged piece of armor he wore was more than just a bit of extra protection; it acted as a brace for the knee he'd badly dislocated several years ago, before he'd learned how to fall properly.

The bay door rose.

"Well, kid," Zeb said, clapping sarcastically. "You pulled it off."

"Was there ever any doubt?" Ezra asked with a smirk.

"Yes," came the swift reply from not only Zeb but Sabine as well. Ezra scowled at them as they walked past.

'I guess I'll just have to prove myself then. As they say: never doubt a thief's skill, it only makes you a target.' He followed after them, resisting the urge to grin evilly. Behind him he heard the sound of a ship landing and glanced back to see the _Ghost_ docking in the neighboring bay.

"_Do we know what exactly Vizago has a stealing yet_?" Hera asked, voice floating over the com.

Zeb lifted the lid off a crate and jerked back with a gasp. "Karabast."

Ezra winced as a wave of almost tangible fear edged with pain and sorrow slammed into him. A scream, long and terrible, began to ring in his ears.

"Whoa. They're T-7 ion disruptors," Sabine told them, picking one up. "These were banned by the Senate. You can short-circuit an entire ship with these."

"That's not why they were banned," Zeb whispered hoarsely and Ezra flinched slightly as a sharp spike of sorrow shot through him.

Kanan grabbed the disruptor from Sabine and dropped it back into the crate, slamming the lid back on. The sound chased the scream from Ezra's head.

"Get 'em aboard before company comes," Kanan ordered and Ezra groaned internally. He didn't want those things anywhere near him; not with the way Zeb was feeling about them, and not after the scream.

"Fo rehtom teews. . ." He cursed softly and activated the anti-grav. Sabine took over and started pushing the carrier toward the _Ghost_.

Chopper's familiar grumble came over the com.

"_Well, stall them_," Hera's voice snapped back. At Chopper's angry reply Ezra grabbed his com.

"Just tell them you lost me or need help or something. Don't just pick a fight!******" He advised as he and Zeb pushed the second load of crates toward the ship.

"Hurry!" Kanan called. "We're running out of–"

"Times up!" Ezra cried as a group of troopers came into view, blasters raised. "We're busted."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

*** **I may have forgotten to mention, but.. About the flinching thing: Ezra has been on his own for _years, _the only time he's really come in contact with people is when he's stealing or conning them given that I find it hard to believe that he had any positive contact. I see him having been hit/abused/smacked around by a lot of people, so I think it's natural for him to have developed an instinctive reaction like flinching whenever someone raises a hand around him. So it's going to take some time for him to get used to casual touches, like Kanan playful shoving him back. I have Kanan note this because it will affect their relationship later.

**** **Ezra knows how to con and trick people, so knowing how to distract them is almost second nature for him at this point. Ezra also knows Chopper well enough at this point to know he will probably just pick a fight (like he did in the show), so to buy more time he gave Chopper an angel to work. It didn't buy a lot of time, but it did by enough to get them some. If you noticed, I had Ezra take a little more time in planning and executing his jumps which cost the group time, time I had Chopper get back with Ezra's distraction.


	7. Droids in Distress:New Trick, Old Memory

**Droids in Distress: New tricks, Old Memories**

* * *

"Hands up!" the leading trooper ordered.

'Che!' Ezra crossed his arms. 'A five minute distraction. Is that so much to ask from a droid? Really what – _What is that idiot doing_?!'

"What are you doing?" Ezra hissed.

"There a problem here?" Zeb asked, approaching the troopers.

"Amda Wabo says those crates contain his disruptors." The clipped, mechanical voice carried all the way to Ezra, who grimaced at the sight of the droid with the silver leg.

"Uh, must be a mistake," Zeb said, still walking toward the line of troopers. "Can't possibly be disruptors in there 'cause they're illegal, right?"

"That's irrelevant," the Imperial woman said shortly. "We're going to search your crates."

"Be my guest." Zeb stepped to the side, a clear invitation to the waiting stormtroopers. A signal from their leader and a few approached slowly, blasters still raised.

Kanan signaled Sabine to move out with her crates and dashed over to Ezra, pulling out his blaster.

"On second thought–" Zeb whipped around, grabbing the troopers and throwing them across the hall where they smashed into their companions. Blaster fire erupted and Ezra ducked behind the crates of T-7s. His head snapped around as Kanan slid to a stop next to him.

"Get those crates aboard ship, now!" Kanan shouted over the noise.

"Right," Ezra muttered, holstering his sling. As he neared the ship he waved Sabine over to help him push them up the ramp. Behind him came the unmistakable sound of the two droids he wanted absolutely nothing to do with.

"Oh, look," Sabine said, amused irritation lacing her voice. "Chopper made friends."

Ezra turned around, arms crossed as Chopper groaned.

"I am C-3PO, and this is my counterpart, R2-D2." C-3PO began and Ezra stiffened as the world faded out.

* * *

_"__An extremely well-put-together little droid, Your Highness." The Naboo security chief stated, gesturing to a dirty R2-D2._

_"__It is to be commended," a young girl replied, her rich clothing and painted face marking her the current queen of Naboo. "What is its number?"_

_"__R2-D2, Your Highness."_

_*o*_

_"__Isn't he great?" a small sandy haired boy asked excitedly, pulling a cloth off a mass of wires and parts. "He's not finished yet."_

_"__He's wonderful," a pretty, preteen girl with long, braided hair assured him. Smiling, the boy turned on the machine. It sat up and looked at them._

_"__I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations." The partially built robot informed them. "How might I serve you?"_

_*o*_

_"__Captain Antilles." A dark skinned man dressed in Senatorial robes called._

_"__Yes, Your Highness."_

_"__I'm placing these droids in your care. Treat them well. Clean them up." He paused and looked back at the droids. "Have the protocol droid's mind wiped."_

_C-3PO started._

_"__What?" he squeaked and R2-D2 let a series of amused beeps. "Oh, no."_

_*o*_

_A loud explosion shook the ship, sending C-3PO stumbling._

_"__Did you hear that? They shut down the main reactor. We'll be destroyed for sure. This is madness," he stated matter of factly and gave a wheezy sigh. "There'll be no escape for the princess this time."_

_A young woman, dark brown hair done up in twin buns, bent over R2-D2. "Take this to Obi Wan Kenobi on Tatooine and give him the message."_

_R2 beeped, a red light appearing signaling he was read to record._

_"__General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that–"_

_The image of the woman flickered, her words fading to an incoherent mumble as she shrank and became cloaked in a fluttering blue light. Now a hologram standing before two men she finished her message._

_"–__must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."_

_With a sigh the white haired and bearded man leaned back and cast a long look as his companion. A bright-eyed, sandy haired young man looked back at him, worry written across his face._

* * *

"I was translating for Minister Tua when we were attacked by thieves like, uh, you."

C-3PO started as Zeb and Kanan walked past. Ezra used the distraction to recover from the sudden and unexpected onslaught of visions. He crossed his arms and gripped himself tightly in an effort to stop shaking. His stomach rolled and he pressed his lips together, inhaling slowly. He was used to the after-effects of visions, but they never did get any easier to handle.

Kanan looked the droids up and down and felt the beginnings of a headache.

"We have company. Imperial droids." 'As if we need another complication,' he thought, turning to Sabine. "Spectr-5, let's get a couple restraining bolts on these two."

"Yup. On it."

"Spectre-6, Spectre-3, keep an eye on 'em."

"Right. That'll happen." 'Knowing these two,' Ezra continued silently, 'doing anything _but_ will only lead to disaster.'

"Excuse me, sir," C-3PO turned to Ezra who twitched. "But this is a terrible mistake. My partner and I are in service of Minister Tua of Lothal–"

Ezra tuned him out.

"Kanan. A word?"

Kanan glanced at Zeb, pausing on his way to the cockpit. "Can it wait? If I don't confirm our rendezvous with Vizago, we'll have done all this for nothing."

"Yeah, about that–" Zeb rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe this time we don't sell to Vizago, eh? Maybe we get those disruptors out of circulation instead."

"Least we got 'em out of Imperial circulation." Sabine said, climbing back down the ladder with the restraining bolts. "When I was translating, I found out they were shipping those T-7s as prototypes so the Empire could mass-produce them on Lothal."

Zeb's hand tightened on the rail. The idea of more of _those_ caused the old pain and anger inside stirring inside him to spike. Below them, Ezra winced.

"See, Zeb? Perfect crime." Kanan put an arm around Zeb's shoulders and tried to reassure his troubled friend. "We steal the weapons meant for the Empire and sell them for credits we desperately need to keep this bird flying."

"Oh, hey." Sabine called up to them. "If we need credits, maybe Vizago will buy those two droids."

"Yeah. Good idea." Kanan gave Zeb a clap on the shoulder and climbed the ladder to the upper deck.

Zeb sighed unhappily, an action unknowingly echoed by Ezra as he watched Sabine attach the restraints. As soon as she was done she left, leaving him alone with three droids and a massive headache.

'This isn't good. I can't hold it back much longer.' He rubbed his temple and swallowed down the rising taste of bile. A wave of calm tinged with worry swept through him and he smiled. **That person** was always looking out for him. 'Thank you.'

Headache mostly gone, he could focus on other things – like what to do with those two. He stared at C-3PO and R2-D2 and the beginnings of a wild, crazy, insane idea began to form.

"I'll be right back," he told Chopper. "I need to get something."

Chopper shook an arm at him as he vanished up the ladder and grumbled something that, given C-3PO's reaction, was highly inappropriate.

Ezra groaned as he reached his cabin, realizing Zeb was in there.

'Oh, of all the days to _not_ have may pack with me!' He sighed. 'Maybe, if I'm quick?'

He'd barely gotten half a step into the room when Zeb stopped him and pushed him back out.

"And stay out!" Zeb shouted, locking the door. A tick formed above Ezra's eye and the last of his patience snapped.

"You can't do that!" He yelled, banging on the door. "It's my cabin too."

"Ezra?" Hera called. "Come in here."

Growling, Ezra gave the door one last smack and marched over to the cockpit.

"Zeb's booted me from my own–"

"I know," Hera said, cutting off his complaint with a placating gesture. "But maybe you could cut Zeb a little slack today."

"Oh, the way he cuts me slack?" Ezra knew he sounded childish, but he was frustrated, stressed, anxious, and even with **that person's** help his headache was quickly becoming a migraine.

"Do you know what a T-7 disruptor is?" Hera asked gently. "What it does to an organic being?"

"Uh – no," he answered distractedly as a horrific scream echoed through his head.

'But I have a feeling I'm gonna find out,' he added silently, sitting down across from her.

"Well, Zeb knows. Because it's what the Empire used on his people when they cleared his home world. Very few Lasats survived. And none remain on Lasan."

Ezra closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. That certainly explained the intensity of Zeb's emotions. He lifted his hat just long enough to run a hand through his hair.

"I – I guess I could cut him a little slack." He mumbled, slowly spinning himself around in the chair.

"Good man," Hera smiled. "So, how's Jedi training going with Kanan?"

"Jedi training?" Ezra snorted. "Never heard of it.

Hera sighed. "We'll see about that."

The vortex of hyperspace vanished, replaced with a dayside view of Lothal.

"Home, sweet home," Ezra said softly, smiling as he felt **that person** quiver happily.

* * *

The ship landed with a light bump and Kanan stood up, stretching out the muscles that had begun to cramp during the short meditation session. He picked up his blaster and lightsaber, holstering and hanging them accordingly as he made his way out of his room. The door opened and he stopped short.

There, leaning against the wall opposite him, was a not so very happy Twi'lek.

'Crap. What did I do _this_ time?' He though, tensing slightly as Hera's eyes narrowed and she pushed herself off the wall. 'And why did I sense her annoyance sooner?'

She stopped just in front of him, hands on her hips. "Ezra. Training."

Two words. _Two words_ and she'd managed to give him a headache.

* * *

Ezra was once again eyeing the droids, lips pressed together and arms crossed as he thought. His little talk with Hera had distracted him from his insane idea but now that he was staring at them again it came back.

He frowned wishing he'd had more time to think, to plan, but–

"Can we talk about this later?" Kanan's voice followed Hera as she climbed down the ladder.

"That's fine, love," she answered, stepping back as Kanan hopped off the ladder after her. "But we _will_ discuss it."

Ezra raised a brow, eyes flicking from Kanan who stood stiffly, arms crossed and almost scowling, to Hera whose lips were pursed and hands formed loose fists on her hips. They didn't look happy and it almost looked like. . .

'Like Kanan got scolded.'

A series of beeps and whistles from the R2 unit kept Ezra from laughing at the thought of the Twi'lek woman scolding the much larger man like a young child.

"Oh, right." Sabine straightened at R2's reminder and turned to the others. "This R2 says its real mission was to make sure the T-7s never reached the Empire, and that its master will pay handsomely for their return."

Kanan rubbed his chin as he looked the droids over. "I'll think about it."

Zeb glared at the floor. He knew Kanan had already made up his mind.

"So we're not selling the droids, but we're selling the T-7s?" He gestured at the crates and shook his head. "We don't even know who Vizago's buyer is."

"We know it's not the Empire," Kanan answered. "And I already made a deal with Vizago. So let's get these crates off the boat."

Following his own orders he grabbed the handle of the nearest lifter trolley and started pushing it down the ramp. Ezra glanced around as he followed Kanan, ignoring the still seething Lasat next him. The area they were headed to was encircled by several of the large stone spires common to Lothal and did a good job of keeping the clearing inside hidden from passing eyes.

Once everything had been offloaded Ezra leaned against a land speeder, head cocked as he watched a Devaronian lift one of the T-7s from a crate.

"Oh, I can make some beautiful music with these," the man purred, examining the weapon.

"They're not that kind of instrument!" Zeb shouted from his spot as far from T-7s as he could get while still being part of the group. Vizago scoffed.

"You just have to know how to play them. And how to play those who want to buy them." He smiled, though it was more of a leer, as he gestured between himself and Kanan.

"You have to buy them from us first," Ezra cut in, crossing his arms. Ezra knew the man's type. Seen it, dealt with, been cheated by it. Everything about the man, from his scars to the piercings to the armor accented clothing, said the Devaronian was black market and black hearted through and through. Even if he had never opened his mouth Ezra knew this 'Vizago' cared about one thing and one thing only: money.

Kanan gave him a look, warning him to stay silent, but Vizago just let out a laugh as he stared Ezra up and down. The kid was rough and from the way he was glaring at him, Vizago knew he'd had dealings with the black market before. His smile widened.

"Finally," the arms dealer exclaimed. "Someone on your crew who understands business."

He poked Kanan in the chest and Ezra tensed.

"Let's just get this over with," Kanan sighed, shoving the hand away.

Vizago smirked and back away, waving at his droids to hurry up. The kid's reaction told him all he needed to know: the brat had experience with people like him, how interesting.

His ears twitched and he turned, scanning the sky.

"What is this?" he murmured, looking through the T-7's scope. He inhaled sharply and spun to face the group. "You were followed!"

"That's not possible," Hera objected.

"Tell it to the Empire!" He snarled and turned to his droids. "Leave the rest. We're gone!"

He made to climb aboard his speeder but Kanan grabbed his arm.

"You haven't paid us."

"Cikatro Vizago doesn't pay for half a shipment." The Devaronian pulled his arm free and hopped onto the back of his land speeder. "And he doesn't pay for trouble with the Empire. My friends, I hope you live to bargain another day, and if you don't – Eh."

He shrugged and gave a lazy wave as his bots piloted him and a few crates of T-7s away from the exchange site and the approaching Imperials.

"Shouldn't we be going too," Sabine asked as Vizago disappeared. Kanan shook his head.

"We can't let these disruptors fall into Imperial hands," he answered, eyes narrowing as he sized up their latest problem. An Imperial ship and, as if that wasn't bad enough, hanging from it were two walkers. "Sabine, destroy the guns."

"Ha! Now you're speaking my language. I'll go get my gear." She dashed towards the _Ghost_. The rest of the crew followed, Kanan still shouting instructions.

"Hera, help Sabine open the crates. Zeb, Ezra, line 'em up. Meanwhile," he picked up a disruptor. "I'll deal with the walkers."

The ground shook as the walkers disconnected and opened fire. Kanan didn't waste any time in firing at the closest walker. The second was quick to retaliate firing a shot that exploded the ground in front of him and throwing him back. Kanan hit the ground hard and lay there, dazed.

"Karabast!" Zeb swore and ran over to help Kanan. Ezra followed but stopped short at a flash of green and orange.

Hera had circled part way around the 2nd walker and was firing at it with her blaster pistol, succeeding in diverting its attention away from Kanan, but making herself a target.

"Chopper, ready the ship for takeoff!" Hera yelled, running and ducking to avoid the walker's canon fire. Chopper warbled an unheard reply and zipped off for the ship passing a flabbergasted Ezra.

"Is this whole crew made of suicidal idiots?" Ezra cried, looking around for something he could use to help her. His eyes fell on the T-7 Kanan had dropped and he snatched it up, training it on the walker that was still attempting to shoot Hera.

"Yup, _idiots_," he growled, and pulled the trigger. He fired, the recoil from the weapon knocking him backwards. Panting, he scrambled to his feet and looked around.

Hera was dashing for the ship, talking into her wrist communicator and ordering Chopper to start calculating a jump to hyper speed. Behind her the second walker had joined the first on the ground, but so had the Imperial ship, off loading a number of troopers and one very familiar I.S.B. agent.

* * *

"You! Lasat!" Kallus bellowed, removing the weapon strapped to his back and activating it. "Face me!"

Zeb's eyes widened at the familiar sight and sound of an extended bo-rifle. The weapon of his people in the hands of an Imperial? Anger shot through him and charged forward with a snarl, extending his own bo-rifle and swinging it at the agent. They traded blows, electricity crackling at the ends of their staffs. A low sweep by Zeb brought Kallus crashing to the ground.

"Only the Honor Guard of Lasan may carry a bo-rifle!"

"I know," Kallus laughed. "I removed it from a guardsman myself."

He swiped at Zeb, who jerked back, and the fight began again.

"I was there when Lasan fell," Kallus said, backing away as Zeb stalked after him. The Lasat unaware he was being lead away from the others. "I know why you fear those disruptors. I gave the order to use them"

Zeb snarled and shot forward, anger blinding him to everything but the smirking human in front of him. Kallus ducked and dodged, biding his time. His plan had worked, the Lasat was enraged and it was only a matter of time before his form began to slip.

There it was. Kallus blocked an overhead blow and kicked out, foot driving the air out of Zeb's lungs and sending him stumbling back. Taking advantage of the Lasats' lack of balance he stabbed at him. The smell of burned hair filled the air as electricity covered the Lasat's body.

* * *

Ezra cursed as Zeb yelled in shock, eyes flicking between the fighting duo and the cluster of stormtroopers as he made his way over to Kanan. His shoulder throbbed painfully where the butt of the disruptor had pounded against him and he could feel a bruise forming, but he held onto the T-7. He wasn't about to let it go and risk a trooper picking it up.

"That fool Lasat's gonna get himself killed." Kanan grumbled, glancing at Ezra as he slid up next to him. His eyebrows shot up at the disruptor Ezra was leaning on. "Where did you get that?"

"I picked it up."

Kanan's eye twitched.

"Ok. We're ready." Sabine called, and Kanan snatched the T-7 from Ezra and dashed over, throwing it in the crate. He and Ezra pulled the lifter trolley around and shoved it at the advancing troopers. Behind them Sabine and the two droids pushed the other towards the fallen walkers.

Two explosions shook the ground, and Ezra threw himself to the ground, curling up in a ball as debris rained down. The still fighting duo was knocked off balance. Kallus regained his first and shoved the end of the bo-rifle straight into Zeb's chest.

Ezra jerked upright at a cry of pain, eyes widening at the sight of Kallus, weapon raised and ready to end Zeb's life.

"No!" Ezra screamed, throwing his hands forward as if to push the agent away.

In the back of his mind he knew it was a pointless gesture, he was too far away, but instinct had taken over and the unbelievable happened.

Ezra gapped as Agent Kallus was blown back, flying through the air and hitting the ground where he rolled until he crashed into one of the stone spires. Breathing heavily he dropped his gaze to his hands. He'd felt them connect with Kallus, felt his hands push him back with more strength then he possessed.

"Spectre-5, get the kid aboard." Kanan's voice seemed to come from far away, and his feet moved automatically as someone pulled him forward. His eyes never left his hands. They were shaking, or maybe that was him. It was hard to tell with that strange feeling still swirling inside him.

And what a feeling. He'd felt it so many times before, but never this strongly, never like this. Everything was more. He heard more, saw more, felt more. It was overwhelming, heady, and it was making him dizzy. He couldn't take it. It was too much too soon.

_"__Mi Cielo? Mi Cielo, calm down. It's ok, I'm right here."_

That voice, that presence next to him, it was so warm and comforting. Like being held - _hugged_. Just like when – when **that person** had been alive.

His feet hit metal and he stumbled, eyes snapping open as he was dragged into the ship. The hand pulling him along let go and he staggered, leaning against the wall. He heard the door close and felt the ship takeoff as Kanan, dragging Zeb, brushed past him.

"Will he be ok?" Sabine asked and Zeb groaned weakly.

"Yeah. Thanks mate," he said as Kanan pulled him to his feet. "Appreciate the save."

"Wasn't me." At Zeb's questioning look, Kanan continued. "It was Ezra."

Zeb looked at the boy, unsure if he'd heard right. Ezra gave him a tired smile. The feeling, whatever it was, had faded and the world felt dimmer, distant. Ezra felt, not empty exactly, but cut off. **That person** fluttered next to him, grounding him.

"And, Ezra." Said boy tilted his head to show he was listening. "Your formal Jedi training starts tomorrow."

Ezra's smile became a little more sincere, though it slipped again at the R2 unit's whistle of surprise.

'That's right, still gotta do something with those two.' Ezra thought as Kanan helped Zeb to his cabin and Sabine and Chopper disappeared after Hera. He rubbed his temple and stared at the two droids.

"All right you two, er, follow me." The two droids gave him a questioning look but followed anyway as he lead them to the smaller loading bay.

"You wait here and you come with me." He directed C-3PO to a corner and lead R2-D2 to the other side of the room, speaking as he went. "You got a dent when you fell over from those blaster explosions. Gonna fix you up a bit, so we can get as much as possible from your owner."

Ezra picked up the needed tools and got to work, positioning himself so he could see C-3PO as he worked. He didn't trust the protocol droid, he was almost sure it was the reason the I.S.B. agent had showed up. He couldn't say for certain why, just that the special feeling he got sometimes was telling him so. He dropped his eyes to the droid in front of him, thinking.

"Listen and listen well, R2-D2," he whispered. "I know who you work for and what they're trying to do, and I think I can help."

The droid which had started to pull away, paused and the sensor that worked as its eye blinked at him. It gave a quiet chirp which Ezra took to mean, "I'm listening."

* * *

A small stack of gold credits landed in Kanan's hand and his brows rose slightly in surprise.

"That's very generous, sir."

"Well, I'm very fond of these droids," the bearded man in front of him replied, smiling at the droids.

"Then I'm glad we could return them." Kanan answered, patting the R2 unit.

"The simplest gesture of kindness can fill a galaxy with hope."

Kanan eyed the man warily. "Isn't that. . .a Jedi saying?"

"Safe travels my friend," the man answered, giving Kanan a pat on the arm.

Kanan glanced between the hand and the man it belonged to unsure what to think, but the Force wasn't warning him, just the opposite in fact. He smiled and inclined his head.

"Safe travels." He repeated and left.

The man watched him go with an amused smile.

"You didn't tell them my name."

"Of course I didn't, Senator Organa." C-3PO said, sounding both polite and insulted. "But this entire ordeal has rather stressed every one of my circuits. Permission to shut down?"

"Granted." Senator Organa said immediately, glad not to have to come up with an excuse to send him away. As useful as C-3PO was, the droid couldn't know what he was doing. He knelt next to R2-D2 "You recorded everything, old friend?"

The smaller droid beeped an affirmative.

"Good. We'll focus on the Imperials later. For now, show me what you have on your. . .rebels."

R2 whistled nervously as he downloaded his information onto the Senator's device. Hours later the Senator watched as the rebels operated, planned, and fought.

_"__And, Ezra, your formal Jedi training begins tomorrow."_ The man, Kanan he'd learned, _was_ a Jedi – just as R2 had said. And the boy in the yellow hat apparently his new apprentice.

His hand hovered over the controls, ready to turn off the holoscreen, when a hologram flickered to life. It was the boy.

_"__Hello, Senator Organa. I have a proposition for you."_

* * *

_He was running, feet pounding a desperate pace in an attempt to keep up with his racing heart. The ground shook and he fell, crashing down only to jump right back up as screams filled the air._

_Breathing hard he continued on, pushing his way past others as he ran against the crowd and toward the source of the panic. He skidded to a stop at the edge of a smoking crater and felt his blood run cold._

_Beams of red light were raining down from the sky, blowing everything apart as the hit and leaving massive craters. Fire was everywhere consuming whatever hadn't been destroyed by the laser cannons. Bodies and bloody lumps lay scattered across the ground. The absolute worst though, were the screams. The screams of pain beyond anything any creature should experience._

_He yelled and charged forward. His bo-rifle crackling as it swung through the air and more cries filled the air as it smashed into the cause of his people's pain._

_A fresh scream joined the others and his eyes started to burn.*****_

* * *

Ezra shot up, heart hammering and screams ringing in his ears. He raised a shaking hand to his mouth and doubled over, stomach heaving. The images from the dream-No, Zeb's memories, faded slowly but the screams continued to echo in his ears.

"Yes, Hera," he whispered hoarsely. "I know wha-what a T-7 does to organic beings."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Update notice: It's on my profile but I'm not sure anybody actually reads those so I'm putting here. I update at least one chapter once a week, more if I have time.

Random Updates: Fall into one of two categories, 1. I managed to finish a chapter early and, 2. I decided to change/take out/add something to one of my previous chapters (this one is much more likely but won't count as my weekly update).

*****I'm not a scientist but I did do some research and the way I understood the theory behind ion disruption is that it short circuits or overloads the ions. Since I'm not sure what would happen if a person's ions were disrupted, I kept it as vague as possible. If someone understands the theory better than I do, please feel free to message me and I'll do what I can to rewrite it more accurately.

The scene I wrote about during Ezra's 'vision' for the droids came from (in order) The Phantom Menace (the first 2), Revenge of the Sith, and A New Hope.


	8. Story Time and Mischief

**Story Time and Mischief**

* * *

_Special thanks to Maximus Potter for pointing out that Vizago is **not** a Zygerrian but a Devaronian._

* * *

Ezra stared at the ceiling, fingers tapping a silent rhythm against the mattress. It was early, ridiculously early if Zeb's holoclock was accurate. He let out a slow breath and rolled over onto his stomach. Three in the morning. Three in the morning and he was wide awake. Not really a surprise though, considering he'd dreamed of Lasan's fall.

Ezra wrapped his arms around his head. The images were still fresh, but the screaming that had been ringing in his ears the past day was finally gone and he was able to think more clearly. And speaki – er, _thinking_ of Zeb. He still needed to get back at him and Sabine for doubting his abilities. The question was how to do it?

Glad for the distraction he spent the next few hours plotting and planning. By the time it was finally a decent hour to be up he had his plan. Smiling he slipped at out of bed.

Zeb twitched as Ezra began moving around. Normally he would throw something at the kid but that would mean admitting he was awake and make the kid noisier. He heaved a mental sigh as he rolled over.

'Weren't kids supposed to sleep until they were forced to get up?'

Ezra grinned as Zeb turned his back to him but otherwise ignored him. While he was trying to be considerate of his roommate (though considering said roommate had a nasty habit of throwing things if woken up too soon, it could be considered more an act of self-preservation), his real purpose was to get Zeb's guard down.

'Oh, this is going to fun!'

* * *

Kanan walked into the galley looking for breakfast and found Ezra and Chopper already there. That wasn't surprising as Chopper was almost always 'up' unless he was charging and Ezra had proven himself to be an early riser. What was surprising was how quiet they were.

While Ezra didn't have the same loathing for Chopper as Zeb did, the two could rarely go any length of time without causing a ruckus. Yet, here they were, calm and quiet. Spotting him, Chopper started grumbling.

"Mornin,'" Ezra yawned as he picked at his breakfast.

Kanan eyed them as he grabbed a random fruit, unsure if he should be worried they were getting on so well. Ezra yawned again and he decided the kid hadn't woken up enough for Chopper to get a rise out him. He leaned against the wall enjoying the surprisingly peaceful morning.

His eyes wandered over to the kid staring sleepily at the droid, and felt his stomach twist uneasily. He was supposed to start training today, he _should _have started it days ago, but there was one big problem: he had no idea what he was going to do or how. It was the biggest reason he'd been putting it off so long. He'd thought about it, every time he saw the kid he thought about it. But really, what right did he have to teach him? To be a 'Master?' He hadn't even finished _his_ training!

As if sensing his unease and hesitance Hera walked into the room. She looked between him and Ezra and raised a brow, eyes narrowing slightly as she made her way past him and into the galley. Kanan rolled his eyes, he knew that look. It was the 'get your butt moving' look. Swallowing the last of the bright blue fruit*****, he cleared his throat.

"Wake up, kid, it's time to start training." He watched the kid perk up, looking much more awake than he had before. He'd made the decision to start today and he would. . . Even if he still didn't know what he was going to do.

* * *

Ezra's eyes itched and he could feel them starting to water. But he refused to blink, not until Kanan did. His eyes narrowed slightly and his fingers clenched into fists as he fought the urge to rub his eyes. Ezra sighed.

'This is stupid.'

He wasn't sure how long the staring contest had been going on. Long enough that his eyes were burning and his muscles were beginning to protest the lack of movement. Ezra gritted his teeth.

'This is stupid. Very stupid.'

Kanan, as if to add insult to injury, didn't seem to be affected at all. No, he was still sitting exactly as he had been for the past. . .however long it had been. Legs folded beneath him, hands resting on his thighs, staring straight ahead, and still as a statue. The only thing that hinted the immobile man in front of him was alive was the slight rise and fall of the chest and the steadily deepening frown.

'This is stupid. So very, _very_ stupid.'

Kanan wasn't even aware they were having a staring contest. Ezra having gotten bored and coming up with the idea shortly after Kanan had sat down and fallen silent, eyes glazing over and gaining a distant look as they stared at the boy in front of him – or rather _through_ him.

'This. Is. Stupid.'

Ezra doubted Kanan could even see his eyes with his hat pulled so low, shading them from view.

"Ti nmad," Ezra muttered, his eyes finally closing. He rubbed them furiously, grumbling under his breath.

Kanan blinked, snapping out of his thoughts at the sudden sounds and movements.

"I thought you said we were starting training today?" Ezra mumbled from behind his hands.

"We are," Kanan answered with a frown. Ezra looked at him, complete disbelief written across his face.

"Right," Ezra muttered, shuffling around into a more comfortable position. "So are we going to _do_ anything? 'Cause I can sit on my own just fine."

Kanan closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, reigning in his temper. Ezra shifted uneasily as Kanan's lips thinned, maybe he should have been a little more patient.

"I was thinking." Kanan said, opening his eyes. "Though you can consider it a lesson in patience, something it seems you need to work on."

Ezra looked away, scowling.

"Given how different your situation is," Kanan continued. "I wasn't sure where to begin."

"Why don't you just start at the beginning? I'm not trying to be smart with you," Ezra said quickly seeing Kanan's expression turn stony. "I mean, I don't know anything about Jedi so, like, where do they come from? How did they start? Jedi didn't just pop up out of know where, right?"

Ezra scratched the back of his head as Kanan looked at him. The man's expression was impossible to read and he was starting to wish he'd just kept his mouth shut.

"No. No, they didn't." Kanan answered at last. "Jedi have been around for a long time, thousands of years in fact. Though at first we were called 'Je'daii' and the Order began over 36,000 years ago. . ."

Ezra listened, fascinated, as Kanan spun the tale of the rise of the Force users and the beginnings of the Jedi Order.

* * *

Ezra was once again up at a ridiculous hour, only this time it was intentional. He slipped down the hall and into the galley. Chopper whirred and grumbled, waving his metal arms. He had wanted to do this entirely by himself, but Chopper had heard him talking about his plans to himself, a bad habit he _really_ needed to get rid of, and had wanted in.

"You ready?" Ezra asked and Chopper gave a wheezy and evil sounding laugh. Ezra grinned. "Let's go then."

For the past three days he had gone out of his way to not annoy Zeb, staying extra quiet, making himself scarce, and basically avoiding him. He'd also been careful to stay out of Sabine's way, not saying more than a casual greeting. He was pleased to say that both had relaxed around him. It was time to start. Ezra's grin widened.

* * *

"Stupid, blasted, old rust bucket," Zeb grumbled under his breath as he made his way to his cabin. Chopper had been following him around all day, getting underfoot, tripping him up, and being just plain annoying. "I don't why Hera keeps that worthless–"

He flopped down on his bed and reached for his datapad. His hand closed on the device and he tugged, only the pad didn't move. He pulled harder. There was a groan of metal as the shelf strained against him, but the datapad remained firmly in place.

Cursing softly, he struggled with the book for a few more minutes before giving up and reaching for a different one. That one too remained firmly in place. Now thoroughly pissed he sat up and started grabbing random objects but was unable to move a single object.

"Karabast!" he swore, shoving and tugging at a sock.

"Uh," Zeb froze and slowly turned to see Hera and Sabine staring at him. "We heard you yelling, is there a problem here?"

"I can't move a blasted thing," he growled, slightly embarrassed and extremely annoyed. The females exchanged confused looks.

"What?" Sabine snickered. "You can't pick up a sock? That's the kind of laziness I'd expect from Ezra."

Hera chuckled softly and Zeb glowered at them, still tugging on the sock.

"What's going on?"

Zeb groaned as Ezra and Kanan, done with training for the moment, poked their heads around the door. 'Great, now he had an audience.'

"Apparently," Hera told them. "Zeb's having some trouble, ah, moving things was it?"

"You mean like this?" Ezra strode over and plucked the sock Zeb had been wrestling with off the floor and handed it to him. Zeb glared at him as the others snickered.

* * *

"Now, after the Force users began moving through the galaxy they," Kanan paused to take a drink and Ezra drummed his fingers impatiently. After a few minutes Ezra's patience ran out.

"They what?" Ezra asked and Kanan smothered a smile. While he should reprimand him for his lack of patience, it was oddly nice to talk about the Jedi.

"They began taking in members of other species that showed themselves to be especially Force sensitive." Kanan continued and Ezra inched a little closer.

* * *

Sabine hummed as she opened the door to her cabinet full of paint.

"What the-! _Ten_ cans?"

She shut the door, frowning. First all her paints had been in the wrong containers, then half of them had been missing only for them to pop in random places, last night when she'd put them away half of them had been almost empty, and now she had four extra. What was going on?

* * *

Ezra settled himself comfortably on the floor and looked at Kanan expectantly.

"Alright, where were we?" Kanan asked as he sat down opposite Ezra.

"The Great Manifest Period." Ezra answered quickly, leaning forward excitedly. Kanan smiled slightly, the kid's eagerness was. . .refreshing, for lack of a better word.

"That's right. Now this period saw what was, perhaps, the greatest influx of new special Force users in the shortest time recorded. . ."

* * *

"So what am I gonna hear about in today's story time?" Ezra asked, stretching his arms over his head as he and Kanan made their way through the ship.

"It's not 'story time.' I am telling you about Jedi history." Kanan corrected quickly, feeling his face flush slightly at the idea. He was _not_ a story teller! "They are _lessons_."

Ezra looked at him, lips quirking slightly. "Are you blushi–"

"What? You too?"

Kanan and Ezra paused outside the door to the common area at the sound of Zeb's shout.

"Yeah," Sabin answered. "Stuff keeps disappearing and reappearing as soon as I look away."

"Same here," Zeb grumbled. "Only it doesn't stop there. Woke up one day and found everything stuck to the ceiling! Couldn't get it off."

Kanan frowned. What they were describing could be the result of unintentional Force use, but he hadn't felt the kid using the Force, just brushing it during the meditation exercises. He glanced at Ezra and was surprised to see him holding back laughter.

"Something funny, kid?" Ezra's grin widened, and Kanan sighed. "What did you do?"

The door to the galley had opened as they'd approached and his question caught the attention of the occupants. Sabine looked over at them, eyes narrowing as she took in their expressions.

"_You're_ responsible for this?!" Sabine yelled, jumping to her feet.

Zeb looked between her angry face and Ezra's smugly amused one, and it clicked. He growled lowly and stood up.

"Yes, I am. Well, with a little help." Ezra answered as Chopper grumbled behind him.

"Ezra," Hera sighed, stepping slightly between the boy and the seething Mandalorian and Lasat. "You shouldn't do these things."

"They deserved it for doubting my abilities." He answered stubbornly.

"Ezra, the Jedi way isn't one of revenge," Kanan said, his tone stern and slightly disappointed.

"I wasn't getting _revenge_." Ezra spluttered, rolling his eyes. "Honestly! Haven't you people ever heard the saying, 'Never doubt a thief's skill. It only makes you a target.' They doubted me and my abilities. I didn't want them to think I couldn't pull my own weight. Besides, it's not like I actually s_tole_ anything, just messed with them."

Sabine and Zeb exchanged looks.

"Shall we?" Sabine asked. Zeb grinned.

"Ladies first."

Ezra paled slightly as they faced him, expressions promising a rather unpleasant future.

"Uh, well, look at the time. Gotta go, bye!" He bolted and with a cry of "Get him!" Zeb and Sabine vanished after him.

Kanan sighed and slumped down next to Hera as the ship filled with shouts, cries, and the sounds of things crashing around.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

Hera's laughter was his only answer.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

*****Not actually sure what type of food they have in Star Wars so I just used something I saw from one of the movies, pretty sure it was type of fruit.


	9. Fighter Flight: It's his fault!

**Fighter Flight: "It's his fault!"**

* * *

"Ok. Oooh. Kaaay." Ezra cracked his knuckles and stretched out his arms. He took a deep breath and flexed his fingers, swallowing nervously. He glanced around but the only one other person there was Chopper, who stood silently, optic scanner blinking at him. Ezra exhaled slowly.

"Ok, you can do this." Ezra swallowed and closed his eyes, concentrating. He kept his hand outstretched and his heart thudded erratically at the sound of something rattling. The rattling stopped and he opened on eye. The bowl he'd been focusing on was hovering on inch or so above the table. "Yes!"

"Waah-waah," Chopper taunted and shifted so Ezra could see him holding up the bowl. **That person's** presence quivered with amusement and Ezra scowled, cheeks flushing as the robot laughed.

"Very funny. But I don't need your help."

Chopper grumbled angrily and threw the bowl of yet to be eaten cereal at Ezra, who jerked back reflexively and smacked the bowl away.

"Chopper," Ezra growled. The droid darted out of the galley. "Come back here you rolling junk pile!"

Ezra ran after him. It had been over a week since his Jedi training had begun and yet to duplicate anything even close to what he'd done when he'd rescued Zeb. He was frustrated and getting back at Chopper for being a nuisance was welcome outlet. Ezra chased after Chopper until a flash of color distracted him and he backtracked.

"Oh, uh, hey, Sabine." He said, peaking around her open door. "I see you're, uh, painting. . .stuff"

He winced and leaned against the door frame. He could practically hear **that person** laughing at him.

"Well, nothing gets past you, kid," Sabine sighed, rolling her eyes.

Ezra grimaced and picked at the wall. Definitely time to redeem himself.

"You know, if you ever need a little inspiration–" he trailed off suggestively.

"Yeah," Sabine scoffed. "Then I'll be sure to look elsewhere."

Ezra's shoulders drooped slightly, but before he could try again a familiar grumble sounded behind him. He glanced back in time to see the droid enter his room

"Chopper! Stay out of my room!" He half turned to follow, paused and turned back to Sabine. "Uh – gotta go!"

Sabine shook her head and continued painting as Ezra vanished after Chopper. Ezra stomped into his room, looking for Chopper. He hesitated as his eyes landed on the figure occupying the lower bunk.

"Kid," Zeb warned lowly, eyes still firmly shut. "You wake me, you die."

Ezra huffed through his nose. 'That makes 11 death threats this week. And aren't you already awake if you're tal–"

A sharp shock jolted through him and whipped around. Chopper grunted a laugh, his taser crackling, and shot a ball of electricity at him. Ezra ducked the crackling sphere. Behind him Zeb let out a muffled grunt followed by a yelp as he was shocked awake.

Ezra snickered as Zeb twitched and tumbled off his bunk, though his laughter vanished as Zeb picked himself up.

"It's his fault!" He pointed to Chopper who whirred and grumbled.

"I don't care," Zeb grumbled, fists clenching. The low growling and his slightly smoking body made him look twice as intimidating as usual. "I'm crushing you both."

Ezra backed away, throwing a dirty look at Chopper as the droid rolled out of the room. He glanced back at Zeb. Being the sole focus of the Lasat's wrath was _not_ a good thing. Time to do what he did best: bluff his way out with as much false bravado as he could muster.

"That's Lasat gratitude for you. All I did was save your life from an Imperial Agent." He kept a cocky tone and a causal smile even as Zeb raised a fist. "Or did that slip your mind?"

Zeb lowered his fist.

"How could it?" Zeb sighed. "You remind me every 23 seconds."

He turned back to his bunk and Ezra's smirk became a little more confident.

"You know, Zeb," Ezra began, following Zeb. "In some places when a man owes you his life, he's your servant forever."

"Well, this isn't someplace. It's my place." Zeb ducked back onto his bunk. "So get out."

"Sorry, roomie. No deal." Ezra climbed onto his bunk, humming happily. There was creak and he had just enough time for the thought of 'Oh this!' to pass through his head and then he was falling. As soon as his bed stopped falling he leapt up and bolted out of the room as Zeb threw the heavy bunk off him with a snarl.

"It's not my fault," he shouted over his shoulder as Zeb chased after him, twice as angry as he'd been before.

"Tell it to my fist!" Zeb shouted back, swiping at Ezra, who ducked even though he was out of range and increased his speed.

Down the corridor, past the nose gun, slide down the ladder to the loading bay.

Ezra glanced behind him as he made his way to the smaller holding bay where he could double back, or just plain hide in, an air duct until Zeb cooled down.

"Whoa!" He faced forward and jerked to a stop in time to avoid running onto Kanan.

Kanan looked down at the boy, but before he could ask why the kid looked so nervous Zeb appeared and launched himself off the observation deck. Kanan jerked out of the way as Zeb crashed into Ezra, knocking down the crates he'd just stacked. A shifting mass of limbs rolled around on the ground in front of him and Kanan sighed as the blur of movement slowed to reveal Zeb pinning Ezra to the floor.

The sound of a very annoyed throat being cleared caused all three males to pause and look up. Hera stared down at them, lips pressed in a thin, disapproving line.

"It's his fault!" Zeb and Ezra shouted, and glanced guiltily up at the pilot.

If she wasn't so annoyed Hera might have found their identical actions amusing, as it was. . .

* * *

The ship landed with a bump a tad rougher than normal, as if the ship shared Hera's annoyance.

"My fault?" Zeb stood up. "This is your fault."

"Don't go blaming this on me." Ezra snapped back, standing up and shoving an accusatory finger in Zeb's face.

"Enough!" Hera cut in sharply, climbing down into the bay. "This is my ship you're wrecking and I want you off it."

She strode over to a panel and punched a button. The bay door behind her opened.

"Hera, be reasonable," Zeb pleaded.

"Come on," Ezra shoved Zeb out of the way. "You know what he's like."

Hera responded by presenting them with a datapad.

"Uh," Ezra took it numbly. "What's this?"

"A market list." Hera answered, hands on her hips as she silently dared them to oppose her. "The town of Kothal's two klicks to the south and I'm sending you both on a supply run."

"With _him_?" Zeb and Ezra spat, glaring at each other.

"With each other." Hera corrected. "Oh, and don't even _think_ about coming back with at least _one_ meiloorun fruit. Clear?"

"Clear." They answered sullenly and trudged past her. They made it all of two steps before they started shoving and pushing each other.

Kanan watched them go with a sigh and moved to stand by Hera.

"How do you expect them to find meiloorun on Lothal?" he asked. Hera eyed the slowly shrinking figures and smiled slightly.

* * *

Ezra kept half a step behind Zeb as they walked along. He glanced up at the sky, cloudy and grey.

'Great, even the sky is moody,' he thought and snuck a peak at his glowering companion. He sighed and shoved his hands farther into his pockets.

This was all Chopper's fault! If the stupid, old rust bucket had just left him alone to practice, something he was _supposed_ to be doing, none of this would have happened. And Ezra was almost certain Chopper was somehow to blame for his bunk coming loose. He wasn't _that_ heavy after all. He glared at the plains.

He fingered the hat in his pocket, wishing he could pull it out and wear it but it had a hole in it he needed to patch up and wearing it would only make it bigger. He bit his lip and thought about what **that person** would say if they were here. He frowned.

Ok, so _maybe_ this was sort of, ever so slightly, his fault. If he'd just left Zeb alone. . . But then again, Zeb had a shorter temper than a wet tooka. Ok, so maybe he'd over done it with the whole 'I saved your life' thing, but it had been the only thing that had stopped Zeb from killing, or at least seriously maiming, him after Ezra'd pranked him and rule #8 said "if something works, use it 'til it don't."

Ezra sighed quietly and glanced at the still sour looking Lasat and then at the far off town.

'This is going to be a looooong day.'

* * *

Ezra wandered down the road. Outwardly he looked calm, laidback, even happy, but inside he was panicking. He'd checked every other street and this was the last one. There had to be a meiloorun here, there _had_ to be!

While he didn't think Hera would refuse to take him and Zeb back if they couldn't find one, he couldn't shake the whisper of doubt. A whisper that was growing louder and louder the longer he looked for the stupid fruit.

He glanced at a couple stalls.

'No meiloorun, no meiloorun, no meilooruns.'

Hera would understand if they couldn't find one, right? He knew Zeb would have no problem announcing it had been _Ezra's_ job to find one and that he'd failed.

Another few steps, another few stalls, and no meilooruns.

Zeb would be allowed back for sure. He was a valued member. They were used to him, respected him, but Ezra?

'No meilooruns, no meilooruns, _still_ no meilooruns.'

Ezra had only been with a couple weeks, barely a month. Yeah, Hera was nice and, yes, Kanan was training him, but what's to say they wouldn't get rid of him if he couldn't pull his weight? If they thought he wasn't worth the trouble?

_'__Mi Ceilo.'_

Ezra jumped at the exasperated sigh and instinctively looked around. He knew that tone and half expected to see **that person** standing in front of him with a look of amused irritation on their face as they told him he was overreacting, _again!_

Ezra let out a long, slow breath. Yeah, he was overreacting. If he couldn't find the stupid fruit, then he couldn't find the stupid fruit. He fingered the hat in his pocket.

"Ezra? Is that Ezra Bridger?"

He stopped at the sound of his name and warily turned toward the voice. His eyes met those of an old man standing behind a beat up booth. "Mr. Sumar?"

The old man smiled and chuckled as he waved him over.

"Ezra. Oh, look how you've grown," Sumar sighed in a grandfatherly kind of way. "Here, have a jogan."

"Thanks." Ezra rolled the fruit between his fingers. "Don't suppose you have any meilooruns?"

"Meilooruns?" Sumar laughed. "Meilooruns don't grow on Lothal."

"They don't?" Ezra repeated, taken aback. If that was true – he smacked himself on the forehead. "No. Of course they don't."

"I suppose you could find on off world importer, but it'd cost you."

"Right." Ezra answered distractedly and shoved the fruit into a pocket and adjusted his pack. "Well, great seeing you again."

He left before the man could reply. While Sumar was one of the few people from his past that had always been genuinely kind and caring, Ezra didn't want to linger and risk getting drawn into a conversation that could lead to awkward questions. As far as Ezra knew Sumar knew his parents had been taken by the Empire, but didn't know why or that Ezra'd been taking care of himself the past few years. And Ezra didn't want to tell him. He didn't want to hear what Sumar would say or do. He was glad, now, that he'd had to remove his hat. He definitely didn't want to explain why _he_ was wearing it and not – not **that person**.

Spotting stormtroopers ahead and ducked behind a stand. They passed him by and he primed his slingshot, but lowered his hands as the groups officer called out.

"You there. Sumar! Have you changed your mind?"

"No," Sumar answered immediately, crossing his arms and glaring at the officer. "I told you, I'm not selling my farm."

"Very well," the Imperial replied and walked away.

Ezra frowned, an uneasy feeling settling into his stomach. Imperials didn't give up that easily and he'd never known one to take 'no' so well. He kept his eyes on the troopers as he left his hiding spot and promptly ran into Zeb.

"I got everything but the meilooruns," Zeb informed him, adjusting his grip on the cases tucked under his arms. "Any luck?"

"No," Ezra sighed. "And I don't think Hera meant for us to have luck."

"Well, someone has to be selling those things. Here, take this." He dropped one of the cases and Ezra scrambled to catch it. "I'll go find one."

"Seriously?" Ezra strained to heft the case above his knees. "You want me to carry your supplies after saving your life?"

Zeb turned and slammed a hand down on the case. Ezra's knees buckled slightly and he hastily backed up as Zeb advanced growling out a word with every step he took. "Stop. Saying you saved my life."

Ezra stumbled back until he crashed into something. At Zeb's surprised look he glanced over his shoulder to see what he'd hit.

"Meilooruns!" They cried.

"Which vendor do they belong to?"

"This one." Ezra shoved the case back at Zeb and led the way.

"How much for the whole crate?" Zeb asked the Rodian vendor, nodding his head toward the fruit. The Rodian glanced at them

"I'm sorry," he said, lowering his datapad. "They're already sold."

"Well, maybe we can buy one from–" The sound of a lid being slammed shut cut Ezra off and all three looked over to see a stormtrooper walking off with the crate of meilooruns.

"From the Empire?" the Rodian snorted. "Yeah, good luck."

Ezra eyed the trooper and smirked.

"Come one." He called to Zeb, already dashing off. Zeb looked after him and sighed.

'Kid's gonna get us arrested. Or shot,' he thought, but tightened his grip on the supplies and followed.

* * *

Ducking behind a stack of crates Ezra watched the trooper places the meilooruns on the top of a transport vehicle.

"What are you smiling about?" Zeb asked warily.

"The obvious answer to our problem." Ezra pointed and Zeb followed the finger to the crate. On top of an Imperial transporter. And guarded by stormtroopers. He groaned and pushed the kid down out of sight.

"No."

"Hey, it's not like we've never stolen from the Empire before."

"Right," Zeb scoffed. "So what's the plan, kid? Gonna use the Force?"

"Maybe," Ezra snapped. "Sure. Why not?"

He leaned around the crate and eyed his target. He had just been planning on sneaking over and taking it, but since Zeb had suggested it, why not use the Force?

He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses, focusing on his target and what he wanted to happen. Keeping his eyes open so he could _see_ the target seemed like a better idea and smarted idea in Ezra's opinion, but this is what Kanan had told him to do. Something about fewer distractions.

Zeb sucked in a breath as the lid to the crate wobbled and glanced at the boy.

Ezra gritted his teeth. This was hard, harder than he'd thought it'd be, and much harder than moving random objects around Kanan's room.

The connection broke and his eyes snapped open in time to see a stormtrooper leaning over the crate pressing the lid firmly down. A wave of disappointment washed through him. Next to him Zeb chuckled and smacked him on the back.

"We should go," Zeb said softly, still chuckling as he picked up the supply cases.

"You go." Ezra stood up. "I'm getting what we came for."

"Wait, kid–" Zeb made to pull Ezra back, but the kid was already out of reach. He groaned and smacked a fist down on one of the crates as he watched Ezra slip toward the transport. He was rather surprised at how good he was. If Zeb hadn't known he was there he probably wouldn't have seen him.

Ezra kept to the shadows, carefully timed distractions in the form of tossed rocks gave him the time he needed to dash the last distance to the transport. Climbing up was easy, they might as well have left a ladder. He reached the crate and slipped his pack off one shoulder as he glanced around, all troopers still busy.

Was this foolish? Yes. Stupid? Incredibly, but pride and insecurity were egging him on.

He lifted the lid and grabbed a fruit, dropping it his bag and making his way back to the ground. While he'd love to gloat, rule# 6 clearly stated "**never** hang around, that's how you got caught."

Movement grabbed his attention and snapped his head around, pressing himself against the transport. Zeb was waving at him, gesturing to something he couldn't see.

"What?" Ezra mouthed, unconsciously leaning forward into the light.

"You there!"

Ezra jumped and spun around. Three troopers were standing right there, blasters raised and, by the humming, ready to shoot.

'Parc! Spotted!'

"Don't shoot!" Ezra raised his hands and stepped completely out of the shadows, mind racing for a way to talk himself out of this. "I was just–"

A crate sailed through the air and crashed into the troopers.

"Run!" Zeb shouted. Ezra didn't need the order, his feet were already moving.

"Stop them!" A voice shouted behind him as he rounded a corner.

"You made me loose the rest of the supplies!" Zeb huffed, keeping pace beside Ezra. "At least we're even."

"Even? Please," Ezra scoffed. "I had the whole situation under control."

Zeb growled in frustration and grabbed Ezra by the back pack. "Come here!"

"Ya know," Ezra whispered as Zeb pulled him up a wall. "If you hadn't panicked I would have been able to talk my way out and we'd still have the supplies."

"You would have been shot," Zeb said bluntly.

"I've talked my way out or worse, you–"

"Quiet, brat," Zeb hissed, readjusting his grip on Ezra as a couple of troopers appeared in the alley below them.

'Rule# 9 "no one ever looks up,"' Ezra thought dryly as the troopers looked everywhere but where they were.

Zeb grunted and that was the only warning Ezra got before he was thrown up onto the building. He bit his tongue to keep from shouting out in surprise and quickly scrambled around. Zeb was slowly making his way up the wall but below him the stormtroopers had finally spotted him and opened fire.

Cursing under his breath, Ezra returned fire. Unfortunately, his slingshot lacked the power to do more than irritate the troopers and cause their aim to worsen.

"Hurry!" Ezra shouted, ducking down to avoid a jet of red light. He popped back up in time to see Zeb landing on the two troopers.

"Zeb!" Ezra called, unsure what he should do.

"Just keep going," Zeb yelled up at him. "I'll catch up to you."

'No, no, no!' Ezra pounded a fist onto the roof as he watched Zeb disappear and more troopers appeared. 'Rule # 12 said "when working together avoid splitting up unless part of a plan, and absolutely **never** in unfamiliar territory."'

If **that person** was here they'd be smacking him upside the head, as it were they w_eren't_ here and Zeb obviously didn't know the rules. He was on his own. Again.

He took off, not waiting to see if he'd been spotted. Though judging by the shouts and sound of blaster fire at least one stormtrooper had seen him. Grinding his teeth, he jumped to a new roof.

He wasn't sure who he was madder at: Chopper for getting him kicked off the ship, Zeb for getting him chased by stormtroopers, or himself for getting into this situation in the first place. The one thing he was sure of was–

'This is all _his_ fault!'


	10. Fighter Flight: Follow the Feeling

**Fighter Flight: Follow the Feeling**

* * *

Ezra dashed across the roof tops as fast as he could, weaving between obstacles to make himself a harder target to hit. So far his pursuers had yet to gain any ground and had only fired a couple times, missing horribly, but luck had to run out eventually.

Leaping across to another roof he managed to shake his tail, but groan as a new one appeared. The sound of a TIE engine screamed over the wind.

"Great," Ezra panted. "Just what I need."

He glanced at the approaching fighter and almost tripped in surprise.

"_Zeb_?"

The figure visible through the window gave a thumbs up, the move causing the TIE to slip into the street below. Two roof tops later and it popped back into view.

"Zeb!" Ezra shouted. "Hey, Zeb, let me in!"

"So, now I'd be saving your life, right?"

"What?" Was Zeb really bringing this up _now _of all times!? "Yeah, sure. Yes! Whatever!"

'Let me in or don't already!' Ezra thought, ducking and jumping the blaster fire aimed at his back. 'I don't have time for this!'

"I let you in, we're even."

"Fine!"

"You have to say it," Zeb called over the sound of blaster and wind.

'Are. You. _Kidding me_?!' Ezra's hands curled into fists. 'It's not like I'm running for my life or anything here!'

"All right, all right. We're even. Now let me in!"

The Tie lowered, hatch on top opening, and Ezra dove inside. He landed head first on Zeb who promptly threw him to the side. The brief moment Zeb's hands were off the controls enough to cause the TIE to drop back down into the street.

"Don't crowd me, kid. I'm flying here," Zeb grunted, elbowing Ezra in the ribs as he tried to regain his barring in the cramped space.

"You don't know how," Ezra retorted, leaning over Zeb's shoulder. His eyes widened as he saw how close they were to the ground. "You're gonna hit someone! Go up!"

Ezra's hands shot out to grab the nearest yoke and pull them up, but only succeeded in getting into a tug of war with Zeb over the controls and turning the ship into a collision course with one of the stalls.

"Turn the ship!" Ezra yelled.

Zeb winced at the loud sound and flung Ezra's hands off the controls. "Let go!"

"Turn the ship!" Ezra yelled again.

"I'm trying!" Zeb jerked on the yokes and Ezra stumbled as the TIE lurched, hands shooting out to steady himself. One hand landed on the controls and the canons fired.

Almost instantly the windshield was covered in splattered fruit. There was a moment of stunned surprise and the two exchanged guilty looks. The sound of angry yelling brought them back to reality and Zeb pulled them higher, somehow managing to miss hitting anything else.

"I can't see a thing," Zeb grumbled, glaring at the mess in front of him.

"Gain altitude," Ezra instructed.

"I _know_," Zeb snapped back, craning his neck in a vain attempt to see past the mess. Ezra huffed through his nose and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

'If Zeb wants to crash into something, fine!' Just let him off first.

For awhile it was silent aside from Zeb's occasional mutter and then–

"I think we're too low."

"How can you tell?"

Ezra didn't answer, just continued to stare ahead.

"Why don't you go clean the window?" Zeb suggested, but Ezra didn't hear him.

The boy's brows drew together in a slight frown and he knew without a doubt they needed to turn. NOW!

"We need to turn."

Zeb continued to fly straight.

"Turn!" Ezra yelled, grabbing the yokes and pulling them as hard as he could.

The TIE jerked to the side and a large shadow flashed by them. Zeb turned to at the boy.

"How did you know?"

"Not sure." Ezra shrugged. "I just. . .knew."

"Good," Zeb chuckled uneasily. "That's – that's good."

Zeb sighed. He wasn't sure if he was relieved and unnerved, probably both, but he knew he needed to some time to think if Ezra was going to go from 'bratty, annoying kid that might have weird powers' to 'bratty, annoying kid that _did_ have weird powers.'

Zeb cleared his throat. "Now get out there and clean the canopy."

With a scowl and good deal of mutinous muttering, Ezra climbed up top. By the time he had finished smearing the fruit mess around enough they'd be able to see out and climbed back inside, Zeb had regain his mental bearings.

"So," Ezra wiped his hands clean on his pants. "What do we do now?"

"Ah. Hadn't thought that far."

Ezra snorted, but bit back his comment about Zeb only having enough room in his head for one thought at a time. No point starting an argument he couldn't run away from.

Zeb drummed his fingers on the controls as he thought. His training as a Lasat Honor Guard enabled him to picture various scenarios and possibilities, but an actual solution evaded him.

'Ah, well,' he thought, flicking on the communicator. 'That's what superiors are for.'

"Spectre-4 to _Ghost_."

"_Go ahead Spectre-4_," Hera's voice answered.

"Right. Well, we've had a bit of a problem."

"_I thought you might_." Hera's voice sounded irritatingly smug in Ezra's opinion, and he felt his eye twitch in annoyance. "_Look, don't worry about the meilooruns_."

"Yeah, meilooruns," Ezra cut in. "Uh, we found some. But we lost them. Then we found them again. But we smashed them."

"Cut to the chase, kid," Zeb growled.

Ezra shot him a look. Ok, yes, he'd been rambling, but that was probably just a result of inhaling too many fumes when he'd been cleaning off the window.

"_Wait! What am I hearing? It sounds like–"_

Zeb and Ezra both winced at Kanan's tone, apparently their brief moment of silence had been long enough for the sound of the TIE's engine to float across the open communication's channel.

"Yeeaaahhh, about that." Ezra chuckled nervously. "See, um – Well – WestoleaTIEfighter."

"**_You what_**_?"_

They winced again.

"He's taking it better than I thought," Zeb whispered to Ezra, who nodded though he was more impressed that Kanan had the rushed sentence.

"_Get rid of it_!" Kanan ordered.

"Do we _have_ to?" the boy and Lasat whined.

There was long, heavy sigh and Ezra had the distinct impression Kanan was longing to bang his head against a wall.

"_At least tell me you dismantled the locator beacon_?"

"Of course," Zeb laughed, but his ears twitched nervously. "We're not fools."

He caught Ezra's eye and jerked his head to a consol.

"Under there," he muttered. "The red wire. No, wait. The blue?"

"Well, which one?"

"_It's the red __**and**__ the blue," _Kanan's voice corrected, plainly frustrated.

"Ah, well, if it's those two don't worry about it. Yanked them out ages ago," Ezra assured Kanan from underneath the consol.

Zeb leaned down to look at him, an expression of bemused incredulity on his face, and mouthed 'really?'

Ezra stood back up, stuffing the wires into a pocket.

"Time is relative," he hissed in Zeb's ear.

Zeb raised a brow, lips twitching, but Kanan's voice cut off any comment he might have made.

"_Stealing a TIE attracts unwanted attention_," the Jedi scolded. "_Rendezvous at Shadow Site 2. Fly straight there. Do. Not. Stop. And don't do anything!"_

"On our way," Zeb replied. "Spectre-4 out."

"That went well," Ezra said lightly, leaning against the back of the seat.

"Yeah," Zeb agreed.

"Do you know which way were supposed to go?"

"No idea."

Ezra chuckled at the completely unconcerned tone and watched as Zeb messed with the unfamiliar controls, trying to figure out how to work the navigation.

In the relative silence the feeling of unease returned and Ezra found himself looking around, searching for the source. The last time he'd had this feeling he'd-

"Ok. Navigation system's online," Zeb informed him and Ezra instinctively turned to the voice. "Course set for rendezvous point."

Ezra glanced out the window again.

"Wait. What's that?"

"Look like smoke."

"Yeah. Only. . .I think I know where it's coming from." It was the source of his uneasy feeling. "Go check it out. Please?"

Zeb took one look at the kid's face and, with a sigh, headed in the direction of the smoke, firmly ignoring the flash of happy surprise that crossed the young human's face.

Ezra watched as the smoke got closer. It might be the source of his unease but it was also. . .calling to him? He didn't understand it, but the closer they got the more certain he was that what they were doing was right.

The smoke came from a farm and Ezra had a sinking feeling he knew whose farm it was.

"Friends of your?" Zeb asked, as Ezra leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he searched for any sign of life.

"Of my parents," he corrected.

"There's a convoy of trooper transports heading northwest," Zeb informed him. At Ezra's nod he sighed again. "Uh, karabast! I know that look."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Ezra argued.

"Well, we could both wind up dead."

"_Besides that_."

"Oh, boy. Here goes nothing."

Ezra smiled slightly as Zeb turned the TIE in the direction of the convoy. It was time to start planning.

'You better be ok, Sumar.'

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

The deviations from the shows script felt more natural to me. Ezra also came across as bit suave and able to talk his way out of things, so having him falter and ramble so much like they did in the show just didn't fit his character, in my opinion anyway.

Sorry if this is short, I didn't want to keep anyone waiting, but I got behind when inspiration hit me over the head with the hole Street Rat Rules thing. I'll wrap this part up soon.

OH! Before I forget! I had a couple people ask me about what happened to **that person** and if the crew could found out about them. I'm toying with the idea of doing a small bit about it separately, but I don't want to ruin anything I might write later. Show of hands, how many of you want it now regardless of possible spoilers? I'll tally the responses up at the end of the week and let you know in my next up date, later!


	11. Fighter Flight: All for fruit!

**Prestory Authors Note!**

In light of the responses I got to the question I posted at the bottom of the last chapter (which were more "yes" than "no" in case you were wondering) I'll be posting a separate story (may be a one shot, might end up being longer) about how **that person** died and the crew finding out about it and the various reactions. It'll take a few days, and depending on how long might count as the weeks update for the story (SORRY!). Feel free to continue voting "yes" or "no" on whether you want it to happen in the reviews and if the general opinion changes I'll retract the story and let you all know. Mmm, 'k, that's all so enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Fighter Flight: "All for fruit!"**

* * *

Zeb opened the communications channel once they were almost over top the convoy.

"Attention, transports. This is Imperial Commander Meiloorun."

"_Meiloorun_?" Ezra hissed, smacking Zeb on the arm. "Seriously?"

"Ssh!" Zeb cleared his throat and turned back to the communicator. "There's a report of rebel activity in your sector. Reduce speed."

"Acknowledged Commander," came the reply and the convoy slowed.

"You sure, kid?" Zeb asked, ears twitching uncertainly.

"Just get me in close," Ezra answered, opening the hatch and climbing out.

Wind slammed into him and he hunched over, fingers gripping the metal beneath him as he let the lower half of his body hang free. He silently prayed he could hold on long enough for Zeb to fly over the transports. As soon as one was beneath him he let go. His feet the metal roof and he tumbled end over end until he crashed against the canon turret.

Rubbing the back of his head and wishing he'd jumped the other way, he watched Zeb fly off. He pushed himself to his feet staggering as the transport picked up speed. The canon behind him spun and fired at the TIE.

"Zeb better not get hit," Ezra muttered, looking around for the captured farmers. Spotting grey hair, he dashed over and called down, "Mr. Sumars!"

The old man jumped and looked around. "E-Ezra?"

"Hold on. I'll have you out soon." Ezra bit his lip as he surveyed the people below him. He had wanted to have them climb out since there was nothing preventing that, but now that he got a good look at them it was clear all three were too old and weak to do so. And he wasn't strong enough to pull them out. With a sigh he looked around and spotted the control panel. Plan B it was then.

He stretched, trying to reach the panel.

"You'll never reach it," Sumar called over the wind. "It's too dangerous!"

Ezra ignored him.

'Come on.' His fingers brushed the top of the panel. He closed his eyes. If he could just hit the button, just unlock them, just free them. '_Please._'

A detached calm came over him and he felt the lock shift, the mechanism moving to his will. He opened his eyes and sat up, unsurprised to see the doors had opened.

"Well, it had to work eventually," he muttered, pulling out a tool. "Hold up your hands!"

They did and he hastily unlocked the cuffs, talking as he worked. "You have to jump. Jump and scatter."

"We're moving too fast!" Sumar argued as Ezra pulled his cuffs off.

"So you'd rather stay prisoners?" He moved to the last person, the Sumar's Aqualish farm hand. "Look, bend your knees, keep your bodies loose, and roll. Ok?"

The last pair of cuffs came off.

"Now jump!"

They did and Ezra was relieved to see them stand up.

'They're more durable than they look,' he thought, waving farewell. The hairs of his neck rose and he ducked. A streak of red flew through where his head had been. Over head a TIE screamed and a canon fired.

"_That gun turrets gonna be a problem_," Zeb's voice muttered from the comdevice at his waist.

"Working on it," Ezra called back, twisting and sidestepping the stormtrooper's fire. He jumped across to a different transport, rolling across the supplies and ducking behind the crates.

The lid to one was shot off and he peaked inside, hoping for something usefull. Meilooruns, plump and bright, bounced around inside the crate.

"Well, hello, stranger," he muttered. He ducked to avoid fire and primed his sling, returning fire. The shots, as one of the trooper so kindly informed his fellow, didn't penetrate their armor and weren't strong enough to do much more the knock them slightly off balance. He scowled and felt around for a better weapon. His hand closed around something hard and roundish and without even looking to see what it was, he threw it.

The object flew through the air, smashing into the head of one trooper and knocking him unconscious. The trooper's blaster fell, smacking against the deck and going off, hitting the second trooper and sending him crashing to the ground.

"I'm not appreciating the irony here," Ezra growled to the universe as he picked up a couple more meilooruns. He'd searched all day for the stupid fruit only to end up literally throwing them away!

Distracted as he was, he didn't notice the unconscious trooper wake up until his arm load of fruit exploded. Grabbing a surviving meiloorun he jumped to the last transport, stumbling as the canons fired and rocked the ship.

"Stop!" A trooper jumped in front of him, blaster raised.

With nowhere to run, he hid behind the fruit still clutched in his hands.

"Wait!" The trooper lowered his blaster slightly. "You did all this. . ._for fruit_?"

Even through the helmet the man's incredulity was obvious and Ezra bristled.

"No!" Well, actually if he thought about it this did all start because of fruit so. . . "Ok, maybe a little."

He threw the meiloorun as hard as he could. It hit the trooper in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to double over. Ezra grabbed the trooper's blaster and yanked, ripping it from the soldier's grips and pulling the trooper more off balance. Ezra jumped, spring boarding off the trooper's back and ducking around the gun turret which was still firing at the Zeb driven TIE.

"There's gotta be something I can use." The blaster in his hand hummed and he bit his lip. "I hope this works."

He pulled the battery pack off and shoved it down the canon's muzzle. He chucked the useless blaster at the trooper charging at him as he backed away from the gun turret. A pitched whine reached his ears and he dove down just as the gun turret exploded, blasting the persistent trooper off the transport.

"All for fruit!' Ezra shouted after him, picking up the discarded meiloorun and placing it in his bag with the other.

The sound of something hitting metal made him turn and he groaned as several more troopers joined him on top of the transport. A TIE screamed overhead, canon's firing. Ezra turned, eyes widening, and froze.

Time slowed in a way only sheer terror could provide as jets of green carved a path on either side of him. The short laser blast cut so close he could feel the heat and the smell of burning hair and metal made him cough. Dimly he heard the screams of the stormtroopers behind him as they were blasted off the transport. The canon fire ceased and time returned to normal.

"Not bad ace," Ezra laughed weakly as his heart settled back into his chest.

Zeb circled back around, flipping the TIE over. The hatch popped open and Zeb's torso dangled in the air.

'Oh no,' Ezra thought. 'This has "bad idea" written all over it.'

Despite his massive misgivings he raised his arms. Better dislocated arms then dead.

"Gotcha!" Zeb's hands closed around his wrists and Ezra was wrenched off the transport.

"Uh." Ezra eyed the plains flashing by underneath him. "How are you flying this thing?"

Zeb grunted for an answer and pulled them higher, slowly righting the ship and pulling Ezra inside.

'Well, there goes 10 years of my life,' Ezra thought, rubbing his tender shoulders. He glanced at Zeb, who'd been unnaturally quiet the past few minutes, and cleared his throat.

"Thanks for the save." He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding the questioning eyes sent his way. "Guess I owe _you_ now."

"Let's just say we're eternally even," Zeb replied and Ezra looked at him, surprised. "Oh, you collect these, right?"

Zeb chucked a pilot's helmet at him and he caught it, stunned.

"I - Yeah." He'd been about to say he already had one, but something stopped him. "Maybe, I can get Sabine to paint it for me. So, yeah, thanks."

He placed the helmet off to the side, head spinning as he tried to process everything that had happened the past few minutes. Zeb had rescued him, _again_, told him he wouldn't hold it over him, something Ezra was having a _really_ hard time believing, and then Zeb had given him something?!

Ezra's head throbbed dully as he shook it. He was too confused to think about this now. It was time to think about something else.

"So," Ezra nudged Zeb with his elbow. "What do we do about the TIE?"

Zeb thought a moment then smirked at him. It was a surprisingly conspiratorial look. One he'd seen many times on **that person's** face, usually right before they caused someone a lot of trouble. Seeing it come from Zeb. . . made him laugh.

He punched Zeb lightly on the shoulder and Zeb responded in kind.

* * *

Zeb inspected the area, making sure it was as secure as they could make it at the moment. Yep, this was as good as it was going to get. . . for now anyway.

"I don't know, kid." He said, coming to a stop next to Ezra. "This could come back to bite us later."

Ezra gave him an exasperated look and stood up. "It was _your_ idea!"

"True enough," Zeb shrugged. "Come on. We've wasted enough time."

* * *

"Ah, they should have been back by now," Kanan sighed, irritation not quite masking the concern.

Hera, having heard several such comments already, ignored him. Kanan huffed, arms uncrossing as he scanned the horizon. Again.

"Over there!"

Kanan's head snapped around, looking in the direction Hera was pointing. Two figures, one tall and massive and the other short and stringy, trudged slowly toward them.

"One fresh meiloorun, as orded." Zeb said, presenting the fruit to Hera with a bow.

"And another for the wait," Ezra added, giving her the second.

"Thank you, kind sirs," Hera replied, eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Team effort," Zeb told her, nudging Ezra.

"Forget about the fruit," Kanan snapped. "Where's the TIE fighter?"

The two trouble makers exchanged looks and Zeb sighed, bracing himself for the lecture he was sure was coming. "I crashed it."

"On purpose," Ezra tacked on quickly. "We didn't want it falling back into the Empire's hands. Sooo. . .Yeah."

Hera looked between them, clearly unsure if she should believe them, but Kana nodded.

"That's what I like to hear." He gave them one last approving nod and headed back into the _Ghost_. Hera gave them a slightly bemused look as she followed after him inside.

Zeb sighed in relief and looked at his partner in crime. As soon as Ezra caught Zeb's eye he snorted and then out right laughed. Zeb joined him as they ran up the ramp, pushing and shoving each other and throwing mock punches as they made their way to their shared cabin.

"Finished."

They paused at Sabine's announcement.

"Uh," Ezra lead the way through the door, but not before landing one last playful punch on Zeb's arm. "Finished with what, Sabine?"

"Thought it was a moment that needed to be immortalized," she answered, nodding her head at the wall. There, above the door to the fresher, was a cartoonized graffiti painting of Ezra and his bunk landing on Zeb while Chopper stood off the side holding two tiny metal rods. "And you did say you wanted to be my inspiration."

"Yeah, but that makes me look like a fool," Ezra protested, silently adding, 'With a really big head. My head's not _that_ big. . . Is it?'

"Makes me look like a bigger fool," Zeb muttered.

"I paint what I see," Sabine replied, uncaring her 'inspiration' was less than pleased with the result.

A broken, rusty laugh sounded from the doorway and the group looked over.

"Chopper!" Zeb snarled.

"This is your fault!" Ezra shouted as the two advanced on the droid, which rolled away still laughing. "Come back you metal menace!"

"I'm tearing the rust bucket apart!" Zeb growled as they chased after Chopper.

The droid rolled its way to the smaller landing bay, probably to seek shelter behind Hera and Kanan who were taking inventory. Zeb and Ezra, unaware that the crates had been moved, crashed into them.

"It's his fault!" They shouted, glaring at Chopper.

"At least they got rid of the TIE," Hera commented dryly. Kanan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he shook his head.

"Just clean this up," he ordered tiredly, following Hera out of the bay. Behind him Ezra and Zeb sat up and slowly set about righting the crates, the atmosphere between them much lighter than it had been the past few weeks.

* * *

It was late, long after even Chopper had retired, and Ezra was back in the small utility area by the engine. A small holopicture gave him enough light to see as he worked on fixing the tear in his hat.

"So," he began, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible. "Today was. . . .intersting. I broke so many rules, and _I'm sorry_! But it so wasn't my fault! Well, maybe a little, but mostly NOT! It all turned out ok though. In fact, it was really fun."

Ezra smiled, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm – I'm not really sure what to think about Zeb anymore. He saved me, came back for me. A lot. And I'm just – I'm confused! Really, _really_ confused, because. . . _Why_?"

The picture remained silent.

"I wish you were here. You always some how knew what was going on."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I got an idea from Lt Basil who requested I do a chapter for Street Rat Rules over the idea "no one gets left behind." After getting the suggestion I got the idea for Rebel Rules, a companion story of sorts to Street Rat Rules and basically the same thing except over the stuff Ezra learns from the rebels. It's a work in progress right now but, like before, idea and suggestions a more than welcome. Pm with your ideas or leave them in the reviews and I'll get back to you. Thanks!


	12. Confusing Lasats and Yellow Eyes

**Pre story A/N: **I am so sorry this is late, between my increased work hours and the side story I ran out time, plus this chapter was just a beast to write!

**Confusing Lasats and Yellow Eyes**

* * *

Ezra bolted upright. His heart raced as he scanned the still and dark room, the only sound his ragged breathing. He lay back down and pulled the blanket he'd scavenged during one of their supply runs up over his head, curling up in a small, protective ball.

Yellow eyes. That was all he could remember from his dream. They'd been watching him and for some reason, scared him. Ezra instinctively curled up tighter. Those eyes were dangerous, and he wished he remembered why.

The next time he woke up the eye were a distant, hazy memory and he quickly forgot about them in the face of bigger problems.

* * *

Ezra was confused, extremely so, and since he couldn't run away or avoid the source of his confusion he was forced to do something he really hated to do: think about it.

Grumbling under his breath Ezra climbed up the ladder to the dorsal gun well and settled himself into what was unofficially 'his' spot. Kicking his feet up onto the consol, Ezra leaned back, gaze unfocusing as he thought about what, or rather who, had driven him here. Zeb.

It had been two days since the eventful supply run and things still hadn't returned to normal between him and Zeb. Nope, instead Zeb was still being _nice_. Well, nice as someone like Zeb could be anyway.

Ezra scowled at his reflection.

Zeb wasn't supposed to be _nice_. He was supposed to be grouchy and surly and short-tempered and rough and kind of mean. That was Ezra expected him to be like and he'd thought he had Zeb's personality, and by default their 'relationship', pegged. He was normally good at reading people and figuring out their personalities, but – but now Zeb was being nice. . . ish, and Ezra didn't know why!

He groaned and took of his hat, running his hands through his hair.

Maybe he'd missed something? Or misread the Lasat?

He drug a hand down his face and drummed his fingers against his lips as he thought all the way to their very first meeting.

They'd been arguing about the blasters he'd stolen until Kanan had put an end to it. Not long after Zeb had threatened to throw him off the ship, and then _had_ thrown him into a closet. Then had come the disastrous rescue attempt in which he'd been captured; he was still a bit miffed about that to be honest. They had come to rescue him, sure, but the first thing Zeb had done when he saw him was try to hit him! Then there was the mad rush of the second rescue attempt; they actually managed to rescue the Wookies that time.

Things hadn't really improved after that. Sure Zeb had given him his hat back which had significantly improved his opinion of the Lasat, but the tension had remained. Maybe Zeb had been a _little_ friendlier, but he'd been so focused on other, bigger issues at the time – like what to do about the holocron – to really notice.

Ezra let out a frustrated growl. Nothing was adding up! He'd thought it over carefully, but so far he'd come to the same conclusion: Zeb treated him, and therefore thought of him as, a barely tolerable nuisance. Something which hadn't really changed even after Ezra had saved him from being electrocuted by Kallus.

Ezra was. . .Well, he couldn't exactly say he was _happy_ with the arrangement, but he was ok with it. Being tolerated was infinitely better than being ignored or flat out despised like he'd been as a street rat. Quite frankly, being tolerated was the best he could hope for and the most he expected.

Being considered a nuisance though? That stung a bit. Not that Ezra really did anything to change that opinion what with how he went out of his way to annoy Zeb. But then again Ezra firmly believed that if someone was going to call or treat him like a nuisance that he had every right to give them a reason to.

Ezra face scrunched in though. Maybe that was why nothing had really changed between him and Zeb after the he'd saved the Lasat? Maybe he'd just bugged Zeb too much about it? But then, why was something different _now_?

"Ezra," Kanan's voice called from below. "It's time to train."

"Coming!" Ezra shouted back down, glad for an excuse not to think about his confusing situation with Zeb.

* * *

A few hours later Ezra was back in his spot thoroughly disturbed. He pressed himself against the seat back of the worn out seat and peered down the ladder.

No one was there.

Breathing as sigh of relief he let his mind wonder to the reason he was back in the gun well for the second time that day. He frowned, come to think of it it was the same reason he'd come in the first place: Zeb!

Ezra shivered.

'Nice'. . .ish Zeb was bad enough, but a Zeb that was curious about what he was doing? A Zeb that _spoke_ to him instead of growling at him?

Ezra shivered again and glared out the window.

He shouldn't be this worked up! All Zeb had done was ask how Jedi practice had gone and passively mention that Ezra's looked tired. Nothing much, no invasive questions or anything. Really, it wasn't _what _Zeb had said that bothered Ezra, it was _how_ Zeb had said it. As if – as if he _cared_. Honestly, truly _cared_ about Ezra and his answer. That was what had startled him.

Startled not scared. There was no way he was hiding.

His reflection flickered and for a second instead of his face staring back at him he saw t**hat person's**. The slightly vexed and weary expression was gone the instant he blinked, but he could still hear the quiet scoff.

_"__Really, Mi Cielo, you're hiding from _feelings_? Thing are better this way, right? So man up! Good things don't last forever."_

Ezra's head dropped into his hands.

Great. Just great, now he was hearing voice. Not only that, but they were making him feel guilty about feeling confused!

Ezra groaned and headed down the ladder. All this thinking was giving him a headache. A little sleep would make everything better.

* * *

_He was running, dancing between flashes of red as he chased after a vanishing shadow. But no matter how fast he ran he couldn't catch up, and he could still feel them watching him. He didn't dare turn around, if he did he knew they over take him and if that happened. . ._

_He rounded a corner and almost crashed into a wall. He stumbled back and froze. There in the reflection of the metal was a pair of yellow eyes._

Ezra jolted awake, heart still racing as if he had really had been running. It was with a sense of unease that he glanced around. Nothing remotely yellow stared back at him, but the feeling of unease still lingered.

He burrowed further under his blanket.

'Why? Why did those eyes scare him so much?'

* * *

Zeb stood at the base of the ladder leading up to the dorsal gun well, looking up he could just make out a hint of orange.

The kid had spent most of the past two days up there and it looked like he going to try to do the same today. He only came down when it was time for Jedi lessons or to hunt up some food. Zeb knew the kid at least slept in their cabin since his bed was always a mess, but he hadn't seen him come or go.

Zeb gave a small sigh and rolled his shoulders back. He didn't know what had driven the tiny human into seclusion, but the kid could be a sulky teenager later. Right now Zeb needed him as Hera had requested, her way of gently ordering, him to show Ezra how to do basic maintenance on the _Phantom_.

"Oi, kid!" he called up and waited until a pair of blue eyes appeared. Was it his imagination or did they look a little wary? "Hera wants me to teach you something useful for a change, so get your scrawny self down here."

"Thanks, but I don't need any lessons on breaking dishware," Ezra shot down cheekily. "I'm perfectly capable of doing that already."

"One time," Zeb growled. So he got a little heavy handed with some dishes. If they broke that easily, they obviously hadn't been well made to begin with. "That was one time!"

"This week," Ezra muttered, but Zeb's sensitive ears heard him.

"Get down here, you little Loth-rat, before I drag you down," Zeb snapped. "We got work to do and I don't' feel like waiting."

Surprise, hurt, and relief flashed across Ezra's face and Zeb's brows furrowed as the kid slid down the ladder.

"Come on." He turned and led the way to the _Phantom_. The emotions didn't make any sense to Zeb, but he brushed aside his confusion. He'd heard human teenagers didn't make sense even to their own species so he wasn't going to worry about it. It wasn't like the kid had made much sense before so it probably wasn't a big deal.

* * *

"How's it going?" Zeb asked, frowning as Ezra flinched, _again_, and moved slightly away, _again_.

"I think I've finally got the steering back to normal."

"'Bout time," Zeb muttered. "Let me check."

Zeb stretched out a hand to pull the kid out of the maintenance hatch, but Ezra scrambled out and away, putting as much room between them as possible. Zeb scowled.

"Go run a diagnostic. You should be able to do that without blowing a fuse."

"The last one was _your_ fault," Ezra replied as he darted out of the _Phantom_ and over to the control panel.

The diagnostic would take at least 30 minutes, which was fine since Zeb needed to do some thinking, _again, _about Ezra, _again_.

For the past 45 minutes every time Zeb had spoken to or gotten within three feet of Ezra the kid had flinched. Zeb could vaguely recall Hera mentioning it before, but he was certain he'd heard Kanan say the kid had gotten a lot better and hardly ever flinched anymore.

Zeb exhaled frustratedly and glared at the mess of wires in front of him.

Was the kid having a relapse? Or had he just not noticed it before? The thought caused a twinge of unease and Zeb shifted uncomfortably as he tried to recall Ezra's past behavior. Memories of their past interactions flashed through his mind, and with a growing feeling of guilt Zeb realized he might have been a bit too rough with the kid.

"Karabast," Zeb cursed softly as he absently corrected some of the wiring.

They'd all speculated about the kid's past, and the one thing everyone had agreed upon was that Ezra hadn't had the easiest of childhoods. The flinching, the way he always stood just out of everyone's reach, and the habit of making sure there wasn't anyone behind him all suggested a physically abusive past.

Zeb might not have much experience with kids, but he knew you didn't go around being rough to the ones that'd had abusive pasts. The only problem was that was how he was raised, and after all _he'd_ been through he didn't know any other way to express himself.

This shouldn't bother him. Even after the kid had saved him from Kallus, Zeb had been perfectly fine keeping him at arm's length. So why did it suddenly bother him?

A pair of big, pleading blue eyes flashed through his head, and Zeb shoved a sprocket back in place a little too forcefully.

Now he remembered. It was that look the kid had given him when he'd wanted to go rescue those farmers. The same look he'd seen on the Lasat younglings when they'd wanted something. He'd always had a soft spot for the tiny furballs, wanting a younger sibling of his own. Not because he was lonely, far from it. His family had been large with several older sisters and a much older brother.

'Sar.' It had been a long time since he'd thought of his older brother, his role model and inspiration. The two had been very close despite a rather large age gap, and Zeb had followed in his brother's footsteps in every way except one. Being the youngest meant just that, there was no one younger for him to be an older brother to. Zeb had always hoped their parents would have one more child so he could have a chance to be an amazing older brother like Sar had been to him.

But that dream had died alongside his brother all those years ago. At least that's what he'd thought, but if his willingness to go along with Ezra's ideas and stick his neck out for the kid's sake was any indication then that dream might not be as dead as he thought.

Zeb sighed and pulled his brother's medal from his pocket. It was the one thing, besides his bo-rifle, that he'd managed to take with him that last, horrific day on Lasan. He ran his thumb over the faded outline of his brother's face as he thought over his brother's teachings. Lasats were one of the more instinctual species, and every member of the Lasat Honor Guard was trained to respect their instincts. It was a teaching his brother had passed on to him long before Zeb had even heard what sound a bo-rifle made.

Right now his instincts were telling him he needed to look after the kid, after Ezra, because the kid needed him. It was an odd feeling as despite being the oldest member of the crew, both in general terms and taking into account the differing aging process of all the species that made up the crew, he hadn't felt such a need toward any of the other members. Kanan and Hera had been taking care of themselves and each other long before he met them. Sabine, despite being almost as young as Ezra, had proven herself quite capable. Not that he didn't still keep an eye on her during missions, it just didn't feel as necessary as watching over Ezra now did.

Zeb blamed the kid's eyes. They might be hidden under his hat most of the time but when he did see them they were far too expressive and conveyed a sense of vulnerability. The emotions he saw in them were much too innocent in their depth.

Zeb put his brother's medal away, silently promising to honor his brother's memory by following his instincts. With a sigh he pushed himself out of the cramped hatch. Now he just had to figure out how to actually do that.

* * *

Ezra stared at the display scene in front of him. The bar that indicated how far along the diagnostic was creeped slowly along. He was completely oblivious to the emotional turmoil he'd left Zeb in, caught up as he was in his own problems.

The day had not started well for Ezra. He'd woken once again hours before anyone else from a nightmare involving those strange yellow eyes, but unlike before when the feeling of being stared at faded after a few minutes this time it had lingered. If he held still too long he could almost swear the eyes were going to appear.

The unpleasant feeling had felt him jumpy and twitchy, and he found himself looking around as if he expected the eyes to suddenly appear around a corner.

He shivered at the thought and glanced around. No yellow eyes just a hunched over mass of purple colored muscle slowly standing up. He let out a slow breath and the tension eased a bit. Even though he'd spent all afternoon avoiding him, it was kind of comforting to have Zeb there. He felt. . ._safer_ almost.

Ezra's eyes snapped back to panel as a small ding announced the diagnostic was finished.

"Well, kid." Zeb's gruff voice moved closer and Ezra shifted away just enough for Zeb to see the control panel. "Looks like everything's in order, and now that you know how to do it, you better not mess it up."

"I won't as long as you don't tell me how to do it wrong again." Ezra replied with a lazy smile.

"Why you cocky, little–" Zeb cuffed the kid lightly on the head, relieved when all Ezra did dance out of reach with a laugh.

"Gonna have to be faster than that!" Ezra called as he raced down the hall.

Smirking, Zeb chased after him. He managed to corner the kid in the common room and had him in a well deserved headlock when Hera walked in.

"I take it you're done working on the _Phantom_?" She asked.

They nodded. Well, Zeb did, Ezra wasn't quite free enough for that particular move.

"Good. Now we need to find some cheap supplies since you two lost them and the credits during your little trip the other day." Hera gave them an exasperated and slightly irritated look.

"Actually." Ezra wiggled free and rummaged in his pockets. "Here are the credits we owe you. Knew you'd be upset about the lost money, so we scrounged some up. Here ya go!"

He dropped the credits into his Hera's hand with a flourish.

"Well, this saves us some trouble." Hera smiled at them. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Hera left and Ezra made to follow but Zeb placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Where did you get the credits?" He asked softly.

"Ah, well, ya know what they say," Ezra shrugged off Zeb's hand. "Old habits die hard."

He gave Zeb a cheeky smile and disappeared into the ship.

"Oh, that reminds me" His head popped back into view. "Thank you so much for your contribution."

He vanished again.

"Wait! What do you mean my contribution?" Zeb patted his pockets, noticing how light they suddenly felt. "Kid! Get back here! KID!"

* * *

Ezra let out a breath and leaned back as he finished telling **that person**'s holopicture everything that had happened over the past few days.

"Ok, so I still don't know why Zeb suddenly decided to start being nice. . ._ish_, but I've decided to just roll with it. Ya know," Ezra gave the picture in front of him a thoughtful look. "He's a lot like you."

_"__Tch! For your information I am **much** better looking."_

Naturally he had to imagine **that person** answering him in all their snarky glory.

"Of course you are."

Answering imaginary voices might be a sign of insanity, but it was still rude not to.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I decided to give Zeb an older brother rather than a younger brother since I felt that if Zeb had a younger brother then he would be even more conflicted and possibly end up getting closer to Ezra which wouldn't really fit with the show's plot. Since Zeb never had a younger brother he wouldn't really know how to treat one so that would leave plenty of room for awkwardness and growth later. That's my reasoning anyway.

As for the whole 'yellow eyes' thing. . .Well, _foreshadowing_ *dum dum duuuummmm*

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ Got a lot of people wondering when the crew will find out about Ezra talking to the pic. Without giving to much away: soon, in about 2/3 episodes

~ Thank you all for your support of my twists and turns.


	13. Rise of the Old Masters: Unwanted?

**Rise of the Old Masters: Unwanted?**

* * *

He shifted, moving his weight from one hand to the other. The small move coupled with the slick, round surface beneath him and the constant press of wind nearly upset him.

"Focus. Focus on letting go."

"Letting go?" Ezra repeated with a grunt. "Rather hold on, if you don't mind."

He shifted his weight again, trying to balance on one hand instead of two.

"Enough jokes. Focus!"

Ezra groaned in reply to Kanan's no nonsense tone and lifted a hand. He managed to balance himself for a few seconds before he felt himself start to tip and slide.

"I'm trying," he said through gritted teeth, steadying himself with his free hand before lifting it up and trying again to balance on just his right.

"Do or do not," Kanan shot back. "There is no try."

Ezra dropped his free hand back down, shifting his weight over to give his right arm a break and opened his eyes.

"What does that even mean?" He asked, trying to balance on his left hand. "How can I do something if I don't _try_ to do it?"

"Well, see–" Kanan frowned and fingered his beard. "Actually, that one always confused me too. But Master Yoda sure used to say it a lot."

"What's a 'yoda?'" The image of something very small, green, and wrinkled appeared in his head and he blinked in confusion. Below him his reflection flickered and **that person**'s face, wrinkled in disgusted confusion, flashed before his eyes.

"_Ugh! Who pickled the old person? And how is it still __**alive**_?"

Ezra bit down hard on his tongue to keep from laughing and his already poor balance worsened. He shook his head to rid it of a voice he knew he was imagining and turned his attention to his unwanted audience.

"–would be more interesting," Zeb was saying. "No wonder the old religion died."

Ezra flicked his gaze to Kanan, but before he could get a good enough look at the man's expression to decide if he was more annoyed or exasperated Zeb's face blocked his view.

"Come on, kid. Do something." Zeb demanded. "Amuse me. Use the Force!"

'And he calls _me_ a kid?' Ezra thought, rolling his eyes.

Zeb grabbed the cannon barrels and used them to shake dorsal gun well Ezra was balancing on top of.

"Whoa!" Ezra yelped as he slipped backwards off the gun well roof. He landed with a grunt in a box of empty cartons.

Zeb laughed and Ezra's eyes narrowed, but he made no move to get up, perfectly content to just lie there and glare at Zeb. He was tired, exhausted actually, which was the only reason Zeb's interference had caused him to fall. Normally he had far better balance and wouldn't have tired so quickly, but this was his second day running on next to no sleep.

What had started as just highly disturbing dreams of someone watching him had escalated to horrid nightmares. And unlike a normal nightmare the only thing he could remember were the yellow eyes. What was worse was the feeling of being watched never went away except. . . Except when he felt the eye shift their attention, as if to watch one of the other crew members. Those moments terrified him for as much as the eyes scarred him, the thought of them staring at anyone else–

Kanan pulled him up and frowned when the boy wrenched his arm away.

"Does he have to be here?" Ezra asked, glaring at Zeb as he pulled his hat out of a pocket and placed it back on his head.

"He's annoying," Kanan agreed. "But there will always be distractions. You need to learn to focus through them."

Kanan cast his mind about for something else to try since endurance training had fallen flat. Not really a surprise given how tired Ezra looked, but when he offhandedly suggested he get some rest Ezra had refused and almost begged for Jedi training.

He glanced at the boy again and was just able to glimpse a flash of blue before that hat was back in place. Kanan's lip's thinned at the sight. He really didn't like that stupid hat, but that was a problem for later and that flash of blue had given him an idea.

"Here. Let's try something." He unhooked the pieces of his lightsaber and twisted them together, offering the assembled sword to Ezra. Ezra took it, his whole face lighting up with excitement as he inspected it.

"When do I get my own?" He asked eagerly.

"Having a laser sword doesn't make you a Jedi," Kanan said sternly, placing a hand on Ezra's head and forcing the kid's eyes to meet his own.

"Gets me closer," Ezra muttered, shaking himself free and tightening his grip on the sword.

"Careful!" Kanan shouted, jerking back as the lightsaber ignited and the tip of the sword followed his retreat at an unhealthy speed.

Ezra hastily redirected the blade, bringing it up in front of him as Kanan moved to stand behind him.

"There's a control on the side that adjusts the length to your height." Kanan pointed to the knob, keeping on hand on Ezra's shoulder. He could feel the boy's muscles tense up and knew Ezra wasn't comfortable with physical contact, but he _really_ didn't want to get stabbed with his own sword.

Ezra twisted the knob and the blade shrank by about a foot.

"I think it should be little shorter." Zeb held his fingers a microscopic distance apart and Chopper snickered at the suggested length.

Neither Ezra nor Kanan looked amused, and their nearly identical looks of annoyance only made the other two laugh harder. Rolling his eyes, Ezra moved away from them.

"Okay," Kanan called once Ezra was about 10 feet away. "Close your eyes."

Ezra squared his shoulders and closed his eyes, tugging his hat down over them as an extra precaution.

"Let him have it, Chopper."

Ezra braced himself as he heard Chopper grumble a reply and start whirring. He felt it coming, knew it was headed straight for his head. His every instinct screamed for him to duck, dodge, get out of the way, just as he'd been taught to do all those years ago. He even started to duck, only to straighten as the saber in his hands thrummed more urgently, as if reprimanding him. He swung, missed, and felt something bounce off his head.

"Ow!" he hissed, wishing he could rub the spot, but he could sense another object hurtling towards him. He raised the sword but was once again too early and his stomach paid the price.

"Be precise," he heard Kanan instruct. "Keep the blade–"

Ezra grunted as two more objects bounced off him.

"–up," Kanan sighed.

"That's it, kid," Zeb laughed. "Use your body to slow down that trash."

Three more hard, plastic objects made impact and Ezra groaned softly, already feeling the bruises forming.

"_Dodge, don't block_!" **That person**'s voice growled frustratedly at him. "_Move! Get out of the way! Only an idiot stands there waiting to be hit_!"

'Yeah, 'cause I _want_ to just stand here and get pummeled,' Ezra thought bitterly as another object smacked him in the forehead and he stumbled back a few steps.

"No!" Kanan's voice sounded slightly strained. "You're not _focusing_."

Ezra opened his mouth to shoot back a reply when that 6th sense in the back of his head went haywire. A whole mess of objects was headed for him and his eyes snapped open.

A big mistake. His hat was still pulled over his eyes and with the sunlight shining brightly behind it his world was nothing but bright yellow. A bright yellow that to his sleep deprived mind registered as a pair of yellow eyes.

With a yell he lurched backwards, slashing the lightsaber through the air. The yellow eyes chased him until his feet met nothing but air.

"Kid!" Zeb's yell followed him as he slipped off the edge of the ship.

A rush of wind slammed into him and pushed his hat up letting him see the ground rushing up to meet him.

"AAAHHHH!" Ezra screamed, instinctively curling up into a ball as he fell through the air. His hands clutched his hat to him and the only thought that passed through his head was that **that person** was going to _kill_ him!

Panicked as he was it took him a minute to realize the wind was no longer howling and was blowing in the wrong direction. He cracked open an eye.

"Whoa! What the–!" He was falling _up_ instead of down?

He glanced in the direction he was going and saw the _Ghost_ come back into view. Squinting, he could just make out Kanan's figure standing on the very edge of the ship with his arms outstretched. As he drew level with the bay door it opened and Zeb leaned out, reaching for him.

Ezra uncurled and tried to grab Zeb's outstretched hand, but whatever Kanan was doing to keep him from falling wasn't letting him get any closer to the ship.

"Zeb!" Kanan shouted and it was clear he was reaching his limit. The air rushed out of Kanan's lungs, and his control and hold on Ezra slipped.

He might not have felt it the instant Kanan caught him, but certainly felt it the instant he let go. Ezra's eyes widened as gravity reached out and yanked him back down.

"Got him!" Zeb shouted, lunging forward and snagging Ezra's hand.

Ezra swallowed and glanced at the ground far, _far_ below him and then back up at Zeb. Why was it he always seemed to be dangling above certain death whenever Zeb was around?

Zeb stared down at the kid whose wide, blue eyes were looking at him with a mixture of surprise and fear. Zeb rolled his eyes. What did the brat have to be surprised about? Of course he'd wouldn't let him fall, and he certainly wasn't about to let him go! Zeb tugged Ezra up a bit too hard, causing the kid to fly up and crash down on top of him. Ezra blinked at him and Zeb shifted uncomfortably. Should he apologize since it was sort of his fault the kid had fallen?

"Uh–" The sound of Chopper's laughter cut him off which was a relief since Zeb didn't really know what to say.

The droid spun and chucked another empty carton at Ezra who didn't even bother fighting his instincts and ducked. Glaring at the old bot, he stomped into the ship. The sound of a fist hitting metal made him smile. Zeb might not have hit Chopper on _his_ behalf, but it was nice to know someone else was also annoyed with the droid.

He walked up the ramp to the central part of the ship and saw Kanan climbing down the ladder from the roof.

"You weren't focused," Kanan told him and Ezra's mood soured.

"Tough to focus when I'm falling to my death," he snapped, brushing past the man.

Kanan grabbed his arm and spun him around. Ezra flinched, his hand twitching toward his sling shot. He still wasn't quite used to being touched and the adrenaline rush of nearly dying coupled with lack of sleep only made it harder to keep from lashing out whenever someone got physical with him.

Feeling Ezra flinch Kanan loosened his hold but didn't let go. He had a point to make.

"You wouldn't have been falling to your death if you were _focused_," he stressed. "You're undisciplined and full of self-doubt."

That was apparently not what Ezra wanted to hear if the flash of irritation and anger told Kanan anything.

"And whose fault," Ezra yanked his arm free, "is that, _Master_?"

He put all of his frustration, resentment, and fear into that last word, twisting it until it sounded more like a curse. Ezra turned away, crossing his arms. Behind him came a heavy sigh.

"It's difficult to teach," Kanan muttered, striding past him into the common room.

'Hello, guilt.' Ezra thought.

"He means," Zeb hissed at him, "it's difficult to teach _you_."

'And there's the self-loathing,' he thought as Zeb looked at him, eyes filled with disappointment. 'Hello, old friends, how I _haven't_ missed you.'

Ezra sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. The understanding, but still sympathetic, look Hera sent him as she prodded him into the room did absolutely nothing to make him feel better.

He needed to fix this. He wasn't sure how, but he knew he needed to at least try. **That person** had told him, '_If you don't fix a problem right away it'll be 10 times worse when it comes back to bite you in the butt, and it will. It __**always**__ will. So man up, fix it, and move on_!'

Ezra took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing.'

"Kanan?" Did he have to sound so small and nervous? So much for manning up!

"Shh! You made the holonet." Sabine's interruption was more than welcome since Ezra wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to Kanan.

Giving a small sigh he leaned against the wall, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets as he listened to some Imperialist reporter accuse them of attacking 'innocent workers.'

"You liar!" Zen snarled at the images. "We set 'em free."

The holonet broadcast flickered before vanishing and being replaced by a picture of an old man.

"_Citizens_," the voice was distorted by static but clearly male. "_This is Senator-in-Exile Gall Trayvis. I bring more news the Empire doesn't want you to hear_."

"What's a Gall Trayvis," Ezra asked, frowning at the spinning picture.

"The only member of the Imperial Senate with the courage to speak out publicly against the Empire," Hera told him.

From her tone and expression it was obvious she approved of the man and his actions. Ezra shifted uncomfortably. It sounded a lot like what his parents had done, and– He shook his head, pushing all thoughts of them as far away as possible and focusing back on what was being said.

"–_public's greatest peacekeepers, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, is __**alive**_."

Ezra's gaze shifted to Kanan who'd moved closer to the projection, attention completely focused on the image of a woman dressed in prison clothes being marched along by stormtroopers.

"_She has been imprisoned unlawfully somewhere in the Stygeon system. As citizens, we demand the Emperor produce Master Unduli and grant her a fair trial before the entire Senate–_"

A burst of static and the Imperial report was back on. Sabine switched off the holoprojector and Ezra turned to Kanan.

"This Luminara. . .you knew her?"

"I met her," Kanan explained. "Once. She was a great Jedi Master – brave, compassionate, disciplined. In fact, she'd make an excellent teacher for you."

The words were a slap to the face to Ezra and he ducked his head, eyes burning.

"There've always been rumors she survived the Clone Wars," Kanan's voice sounded so far away. "But they never came with a specific location before. We can't pass this up."

"Was hoping you'd say that." Hera gave Kanan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze on her way to the cockpit. "I'll set a course for the Stygeon system."

"The rest of you," Kanan turned to look at them, "prep for an op."

The crew scattered and Ezra was left alone with Chopper.

"You hear that?" he asked the droid. "He's done with me. He's gonna pawn me off on some stranger."

Chopper's clanking laughter filled the room, and Ezra dropped onto the bench, slumping over the table. Everything hurt. His head from all those nightmares and sleepless nights, his body from the days 'training,' but that small spot in his chest hurt the most.

Unwanted.

Ezra buried his head in arms.** That person** was wrong. It wasn't 10 times worse, it was 100 times worse. Maybe if he'd just been faster, cut Sabine off and said something, _anything_.

Unwanted.

This horrible, bitter feeling was one he'd thought, stupidly, that he might not be subjected to anymore.

Unwanted.

But this, apparently, wasn't true if Kanan was so ready and willing to get rid of him.

Unwanted.

Why? What had he done wrong? It couldn't really be too late, right? He could still fix this, couldn't he? Kanan didn't honestly - he couldn't really _unwanted_?

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I know everybody was probably looking forward to the Inquisitor showing up, but this chapter was getting kind of long and considering he's one of my favorite villains I want to do him justice.

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ In response to a Guest review: It's not that Zeb doesn't care or give a f*ck. It's just that from his point of view Ezra was being an a** to Kanan. Yeah the kid almost died, but they almost die once a week so that doesn't give Ezra an excuse to be a** (in Zeb's opinion, remember he's a Lasat and they way I see it they're raised a bit more rough than what humans would considered 'normal'). That and he's closer to Kanan and understands Kanan better than Ezra so he tends to side with him over Ezra. Also Ezra's keeping all his problems to himself so nobody knows what he's going through. Just wanted to clarify that since I feel Zeb gets a lot flack for no reason.

~ In response to Guest 'E': I agree that they were out of line, BUT! This is how I justify (I use this word loosely) their actions. Kanan: incredibly insecure and is probably just repeating what he was told by his teachers but forgetting the part were they tell him **HOW** to be better which leads to only criticizing Ezra. Zeb: Like I said in my last comment, Zeb's a Lasat and I think it's reasonable to assume they're raised differently than humans. I picture them being raised in a more 'you learn by experience' type of environment in which they are (in my opinion/view) subjected to all sorts of things and expected to grin and bare it if you will. Therefore, to Zeb, he doesn't see anything wrong with the way Ezra's being trained (Ok the near death thing was out a line, but I kinda touched on Zeb's POV there and had him smack Chopper around, which given Zeb's tendency to deal with things physically as far as Zeb is concerned when he manhandled Chopper that was the end of it) and, in Zeb's opinion, Ezra shouldn't be making a big deal about it. Also, like I said above, Zeb's known Kanan longer and understands him better so he's more likely to side with Kanan over Ezra (yadda yaddda see above). Chopper: . . . I got nothing. Sorry, he's an old droid with some seriously f***ed up issues. I **think**, just guessing here, that Chopper's understanding of the situation is he was just doing as he was ordered to do: ie, throw stuff at Ezra. And given that Ezra is still alive everything is still ok. He's a robot, a machine, it doesn't matter how much "personality" the writers/characters/whoever give him, Chopper is still just a bunch of metal. He - It actually, doesn't understand emotions, only the result and logic (however warped) and the result of the day's 'training' was everyone was still alive so why should he act any different?  
But this is all just **MY** understanding and opinion, I could be completely wrong.


	14. Rise of the Old Masters: They're Real!

**Rise of the Old Masters: They're Real?!**

* * *

Even flying through hyperspace the Stygeon system was several hours away, and Ezra ended up spending most of it napping fitfully. He woke only slightly rested when Hera's voice came over the comm telling them to gather in the cockpit for a mission's debrief.

Ezra trudged into the cockpit and leaned against the wall as Chopper took center stage, shining a holographic image into middle of the group.

"Welcome to the Spire on Stygeon Prime,the only Imperial detainment facility in the Stygeon system." Sabine announced. "And it's impregnable."

"That's never stopped us before," Kanan told her, and Sabine chuckled dryly.

"Trust me, we have never faced anything like _this_." She looked the image over with a critical eye. "It's a real piece of work. Blast proof, ray shielded, protected by anti-ship weapons, TIE fighters, and short and long range scanners."

"We can fool the scanners," Hera assured her, mentally crossing off one of the many problems Sabine had listed.

"Eh, maybe," Sabine shrugged. "But that just leaves an army of troopers and guard posts on all the walls."

Ezra moved closer as she pointed to the many guard stations decorating the building.

"Look," Sabine leaned back, brushing her bangs out of her face. "Even if we get into this beauty, the hard part's getting out. 'Cause, you know, _it's a prison_."

"Well, why not go in through one of the places meant to let stuff out?" Ezra pointed to the base of the spinning building. "The garbage shafts?"

"Figures you'd be the one to suggest that," Zeb scoffed, giving Ezra a pointed look as he waved a hand in front of his nose.

"_I'm_ the one that smells bad? Who was it that–"

"Wouldn't work anyway," Sabine interrupted. "The doors are rigged to only open outward and only once enough pressure has built up behind them."

"Which could take weeks," Kanan concluded. "Not a bad idea if we had more time."

Ezra felt a spark of hope. See? He could be useful!

"Here," Kanan pointed to a spot about two thirds of the way down. "There's only room for a couple of guards. We take them down, make our way to the upper levels isolation cells, free Luminara, and come back out the way we came in."

Chopper grumbled and shut off his projector.

"Yeah," Sabine agreed. "You'd have to be crazy to try that lousy plan."

"Let's hope the Empire thinks so too," Kanan smirked.

* * *

It was another 30 minutes before the _Ghost_ dropped out of hyperspace and the crew, minus Chopper, filed into the _Phantom_.

Ezra fiddled with the straps of his bag as he settled in the seat opposite Kanan. The man's eyes were closed and his arms crossed, and Ezra couldn't help feel as if Kanan was purposefully avoiding looking at him. Ezra glanced away, hands clenching. Kanan might be ignoring him now, but he would use this mission to prove to him that he could be useful.

The air got colder and Ezra ducked his chin into his scarf, shivering slightly.

"30 seconds," Hera called and they stood up. "Good luck!"

"Luck?" Zeb repeated. "We're gonna need a miracle."

"Here are three," Sabine offered, holding out three small, metal spheres.

Zeb took one and Ezra another, unconsciously mirroring the Lasat's stance and expression as he inspected it.

"Try to stay focused," Kanan ordered, glancing over his shoulder at Ezra.

"Thought there was no 'try,'" Ezra replied, tucking Sabine's 'miracle' into a pocket.

Kanan grimaced and Ezra winced internally, so far it didn't seem he was doing a very good job of convincing Kanan he was worth keeping around.

The door opened and Ezra pulled his scarf up over his nose as a blast of cold air filled the ship. Kanan knelt, eyes sizing up the distance to the small landing and the two stormtroopers guarding it, then launched himself out of the _Phantom_.

Ezra lurched forward in surprise and his eyes widened as he watched Kanan take down the troopers in a few swift and silent moves. Ezra smirked, the troopers were taken care of, and according to the plan this was the part he proved his usefulness by unlocking the doors.

Zeb glanced over as Ezra backed up and his eyes widened as he realization.

"Kid, wait!" Zeb's hand shot out to stop him, but it was too late, Ezra had already jumped. Zeb groaned. "Karabast, kid. What are you doing?"

Ezra tucked and rolled, just like he usually did when jumping such distances, and he would have landed just fine. . . But he forgot about the ice.

His feet hit the deck and shot out from under him. Ezra tumbled across the deck and crashed into the door. Almost immediately he shot up and to the side, hiding himself in the archway's shadow.

There was a long, tense moment as both he and Kanan watched the door, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, Ezra relaxed and slowly straightened from his crouch.

"What just happened?" Kanan's whisper was barely audible but at the same time louder and worse than a yell. "You were supposed to exit with Zeb?"

'Ah, tihs!' Ezra winced. 'Knew I was forgetting something.'

"You're lucky every stormtrooper in the prison doesn't know we're here!" The words had barely left Kanan's mouth when the door opened.

Kanan cursed his luck as four stormtroopers primes their blasters. Raising his hands he snapped the Force like a whip, curling it around the two closest rifles and tugging them toward him.

"Whoa!" Ezra whispered. It was always amazing to watch the seemingly impossible happen so effortlessly.

Zeb and Sabine dropped down behind Kanan and Ezra jerked back to reality. He glanced around, sizing up the situation. So far it seemed he'd gone unnoticed by the troopers, something he was more than willing to take advantage of given one of them had positioned himself right in front of him.

As the man moved to attack Sabine, Ezra primed and fired his slingshot. The energy sphere hit the trooper in the shoulder just between the pieces of armor causing a light shock to run through the trooper's body and making him falter. Sabine didn't hesitate, twisting the gun from the trooper's hand and flipping him over the railing.

Ezra took a moment to appreciate the way the moonlight made her look twice as badass as usual before forcing his eyes away and to the others.

Kanan was busy using the Force to throw two of the three remaining troopers around like rag dolls, and Zeb seemed to be taking great pleasure in tossing the last of them of the deck.

Ezra turned his attention to the lock. He'd never messed with prison locks before, never had a reason too. After all, what was he going to steal from a prison? Prisoners? The fact that that was exactly what he was trying to do was ignored as Sabine appeared and began tapping at the buttons.

Ezra rolled his eyes. If that was all it was going to take he'd have had the doors opened by now. Before he could tell Sabine to step aside and let him work his magic Kana spoke up, continuing his lecture as if there hadn't been an interruption in the form a squad of stormtroopers.

"Stunts like that put us all in jeopardy. This is _exactly_ why you need Master Luminara to teach you discipline."

"I was just following _your_ example," Ezra hissed back, moving Sabine's hands out of the way and pulling out his tools.

"Yeah? Well, try to stay focused and follow the plan instead."

"_Focusing_!" Ezra muttered, gently coaxing the lock to release.

With beep and hiss the door slid open and Ezra frowned uneasily. Yes, he was good, but that had been _too_ easy. He shook his head. This was a prison and, as Sabine had said, the hard part would be getting _out_ not in.

"Your welcome," Ezra said waspishly as the other rushed inside. Zeb smacked him on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"You did your job," Zeb snapped at him. "You want a medal?"

"You offering one?"

Zeb rolled his eyes and shoved Ezra down the hall toward Kanan.

"Luminara's here," Kanan confirmed. "I sense her presence but it's. . .clouded."

Sabine rushed past him and began hacking into the prison's computer.

"Where's Master Luminara?" Kanan asked, peering over her shoulder. The Imperial codes were gibberish to him, but Sabine never seemed to have any trouble understanding them. It was actually quite irritating sometimes, but at times like this he more than appreciated her skill.

"Detention block CC-01," Sabine answered. "Isolation cell 0169."

"They have isolation cells on the lower levels?" Kanan brushed past her. He might not understand the codes, but the basic blue prints Sabine had pulled up he could understand. Kanan pounded a hand against the panel. "We planned off outdated schematics."

"Which means what exactly?" Ezra asked, frowning as that feeling of unease increased. He resisted the urge to look around. He could no longer feel those yellow eyes watching him, but for some reason that just set him on edge.

"It means the plan changes."

"You got a backup plan?" Zeb asked.

"Figuring one out right now." Kanan headed for turbolift, fingering his beard as he thought. "Zeb, Sabine, you're coming along."

"Weren't we supposed to hold our escape route _here_?" Zeb questioned, waving a hand at the empty corridor they were in.

"Now the turbolift _is_ our escape route," Kanan corrected. "Let's go."

Zeb shook his head but crammed himself into the lift.

"His plan gets worse all the time," Sabine muttered as the lift carried them deeper into the prison.

"Just hope he doesn't change it again," Zeb told her.

"I'm standing right here." Kanan informed them.

"We know."

Ezra smiled at their reply, keeping his eyes firmly on the flashing lights in front of him as Kanan huffed behind him.

The lift slowed and ground to a stop and Ezra tensed as the door slid apart. Two troopers were stationed just on the other side and Kanan yanked them inside before they even had a chance to turn around.

Ezra pressed himself against the wall and well out of the way as Zeb exercised his muscles on the two troopers. As soon as they were out Kanan opened the door, gesturing for Ezra to follow.

"Maintain comm silence," Kanan ordered as he scanned the halls. "And whatever you do, _hold this lift_."

Ezra followed Kanan, his body naturally dropping into a low and ready stance. The door to the lift hadn't even closed behind them when two stormtroopers appeared.

"Hey you! Stop!" The pair of troopers didn't have the time to bring the weapons to bear before Kanan was yanking them forward with the Force and using the moment to clothesline them.

"Wow." Ezra nudged one of the unconscious men with his foot. "You're really not messing around tonight."

"There's a lot more at stake than you realize," Kanan said coolly, already moving.

Ezra frowned after him as Zeb pulled the bodies into the lift and out of sight. With a sigh, Ezra followed Kanan down the twisting halls.

* * *

"Ever seen this Jedi Master?"

"Don't have the clearance."

The voices floated from around the corner Ezra crouched behind, gaping as Kanan strolled right out into the open.

"Shouldn't you be guarding the Jedi's cell?" Kanan had one arm raised, fingers twitching slightly. "It's on the next level."

His voice sounded slightly. . ._off_, an edge to it that Ezra couldn't place, and it raised the hairs on the back of neck. He shook his head, trying to clear it from the odd feeling. Whatever Kanan was doing was weird and left Ezra with the feeling of hearing double, as if Kanan was somehow whispering in his ear and talking to him at the same time.

"It's on the next level," one of the troopers repeated, sounding more robotic than normal.

"You better get moving." Kanan suggested, still with that edge to his voice.

'Some kind of Jedi mind trick then,' Ezra concluded as the trooper once again repeated Kanan's words before moving off. Ezra stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it around as he stood up from his hiding place.

"When do I learn _that_?" Ezra asked eagerly. The ability to control minds? Now **that** was something he could definitely put to good use! Or, any use really.

"Luminara will teach you," Kanan told him, flicking a hand at the controls and letting the Force unlock the door. "And much better than I could."

Ezra closed his mouth, a sinking feeling in his gut as he stared at Kanan's back. There was a distance to Kanan's voice, as if he'd already cast Ezra away was only going through the motions in order to make sure nothing happened.

It hurt.

Ezra swallowed, feet moving automatically as he followed Kanan into the cell. It was cold and bleak, and he almost missed the figure sitting far too quietly in on the bench in front of them, face buried in her hands.

"Is it really her?" Ezra hoped it wasn't.

"Yes, but. . .something's wrong." Kanan straightened as the woman stood up and moved toward them. "Master?"

Luminara lips thinned and she walked away. As she neared the wall she turned and looked at them, an expression of pained frustration on her face as she. . ._flickered_?!

Ezra's eyes widened as she stepped back and through a metal container, the small window leaving only her face visible. He gasped, and was dimly aware of Kanan doing the same, as Luminara aged, skin shriveling until the bones of her skull were clearly visible.

"Wh-what happened to her?" Ezra asked shakily. It was obvious she was dead. He knew that, but for some reason that fact was being rather difficult to process. "I don't understand."

"No? It doesn't seem complicated." The voice was smooth and cultured, and had Ezra's every instinct screaming at him to get as far away as possible.

Ezra snapped around and froze, fear shooting through him.

Yellow eyes stared down at him, cold despite being the same shade as the sun. Yellow eyes that had terrorized his dreams. Yellow eyes that had haunted him in his waking hours. Yellow eye that _shouldn't_ be – _couldn't_ be – by some horrible twist of fate–

"_Th-they're **real**_?!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Arg! I so wanted to write the Inquisitor's fight, but it had gotten long again, so cliff hanger!

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ 1st: For all the positive feedback, Thank you, thank you very much! *said in a lame Elvis impersonation*

~ To TheUltimateAngel: Thank you, I've been perfecting my evil with the Inquisitor as my role model and it's nice to know it's been noticed. *cackles madly*

~ To Guest 'E': I know Zeb and Kanan are coming off as butt heads (not sure what all age group reads this so. . .) but they have their reasons. I'll do my best to incorporate them into the later chapters.

~ To CatGirlFireFlare: What can I say? ^ Evil! ^

~ To Guest "Kitty cat meow" in response to your review to chapter 1(putting it here as well since I'm not sure if it'll be read under chapter one): Congratulations Kitty Cat, I was wondering if anyone was going to figure it out. Since you're the first (I'm just assuming since you're the first to say anything) PM if you want a "reward."

~ About the cliff hanger...sorry about that, Merlin (again don't know who's read this) knows I hate reading them and I did start writing the fight scene but it added something of another couple 1000 words and that just seemed too long for one chapter, plus I didn't like the style. I'll do what I can to make the wait worth it!  
Till next time,  
Word Puzzle


	15. Rise of the Old Masters: Conclusion

**To my loyal and new readers! I've decided to place my replies and answers to your reviews/comments and questions at the bottom of the chapter they are associated with. Ie, if you review a chapter check it again after about 2/3 days for my reply. Starting now with chapter 12 and onward. (will no longer be posting answers in the reviews). Thanks and happy reading!**

**Rise of the Old Masters: Conclusion**

* * *

"I am the Inquisitor."

The voice didn't really register through the panic but the sudden flare of red light did, and Ezra shot back as the man advanced into the cell. The door slid shut behind him and the dim light made the eyes glow even brighter.

"Welcome." The man's lips stretched into a smile that showed far too many and eerily pointed teeth.

Kanan hands flew into motion, one pushing Ezra out of the way and the other gathering up the pieces of his lightsaber.

"Yes, I'm afraid Master Luminara died with the Republic." The Inquisitor continued, eyes lingering on Ezra. "But her bones continue to serve the Empire–" The Inquisitor's gaze switched to Kanan, and he smirked slightly at the battle ready stance the Jedi had taken. "–luring the last Jedi to their deaths."

Once the yellow eyes were no longer focused on him, Ezra was able to push aside his panic and actually think. Years of experience kicked in and he weighed his odds. They weren't good. If his instincts were right, and the usually were, he had no chance against the yellow eyed man.

Ezra fumbled for his comm. Hopefully, Kanan could distract the man long enough for him to get the door open and then they could escape. But that would only work if the others were ready for them.

"Spectre -3, come in. It's a trap!" He waited for a reply but only got static.

"There will be no reinforcements." The voice was colder and harder than before, and Ezra flinched back. The yellow eyed man's voice seemed to be dragging out every horrible feeling and memory he had.

A blur of movement and blue met red with a crackle of energy. Ezra let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he watched Kanan exchange blows with the Imperial.

"Interesting," the Inquisitor almost purred. "It seems you trained with Jedi Master Depa Billaba."

"How–?" Kanan's concentration wavered in surprise and the red saber inched closer. He pushed back, green eyes glinting angrily. "Who are you?"

The Inquisitor answered with a smirk and a slash that forced Kanan back several more steps. Ezra slid around them and toward the door. He didn't bother looking for a way to unlock it; from his brief time as Kallus's prisoner he knew there was no way he could unlock the cell door from this side. He kept his eyes on the enemy as he pulled out Sabine's 'miracle.'

"The temple records are quite complete. In close quarter fighting, Billaba's emphasis was always on form 3." The Inquisitor spoke in a completely unhurried way, as if pressing Kanan back was as easy as strolling down the street. "Which you favor to a ridiculous degree."

Ezra primed his sling. The man's back was to him and he wasn't going to let the opportunity slip him by. He fired. The man swung his saber around, blocking the crackling ball, and Ezra stiffened as the yellow eyes pinned him place.

Kanan charged again and the yellow eyes flicked away. The Inquisitor side stepped the swing and jumped. Kanan's momentum carried him under the Sith who kicked out, sending Kanan crashing to the floor.

Ezra jumped off the steps and landed next to Kanan. The Jedi was still conscious, which Ezra was thankful for, though the fact that Kanan still hadn't stood up told Ezra how much the blow had wounded him. Ezra searched Kanan's face, looking for a sign as to what to do, but Kanan was once again avoiding looking at him, choosing to glare at the Inquisitor.

"Clearly," the Inquisitor rose from his crouch with all the grace of a dancer and stared down at them. "You were a poor student."

It was the superiority in the Inquisitor's voice and the way he looked down at Ezra, as if he was lacking, only worth looking at because the man had deigned to glance his way. It was a look Ezra had seen so many times before and sparked something in him. Anger, resentment, and most of all the need to prove them _wrong_.

He stood, glaring at those terrifying yellow eyes, and fired his sling.

The Inquisitor spread his arms, letting the shots hit him, and his lips quirked in a bemused smile.

"Is that really all you've got, my boy?" he asked, he couldn't quiet keep the disappointment from his voice. He really had expected a better challenge, something worth the endless hours he'd been forced to suffer waiting.

"Well, I've got _that_," Ezra shot back, waving his hand at the door.

Drawing attention to your escape route before you'd actually used it was a stupid thing to do, an _extremely_ stupid thing, but Ezra's fear was still fueling his anger at being trapped and looked down on. Fortunately his comment ended just as Sabine's 'miracle' was gave a final beep. Ezra had just enough time see the Inquisitor's smile falter before the bomb went off and filled the room with smoke. He shot out of the door with Kanan right behind him.

They hadn't made it far when Ezra heard Kanan stop. Ezra skidded to a halt and turned to see the Inquisitor had caught up with them. The two men eyed each other for a moment before the Inquisitor raised his saber, his thumb pressing down on a hidden button. Ezra barely had time to register the appearance of a second blade as the Inquisitor shot forward. There was a blur of red and blue light as the two men engaged.

He should run. He should run right now while that Inquisitor person was distracted by Kanan. He should run and get away before he got hurt, or killed. He should run.

Ezra nodded to himself, eyes searching for an escape route.

"_Your life is more important than anything_." **That person**'s words rang in his ears, justifying his actions. "_You __**will**__ protect your life. I don't care how you do it, what you have to sacrifice, who you have to hurt. __**You stay **__**alive**_**!**"

'Sacrifice? Hurt?'The words echoed through his head.

He should run, but what would happen to Kanan? If he left and something happened and he wasn't there to at least try to help. . . If Kanan got hurt or – or died, then wouldn't that be his fault? But – but he had _promised_, and if he died here, for such a pointless stupid reason of trying to rescue a dead lady then everything **that person** had sacrificed for him would be for nothing. No, he would not let it go to waste.

Ezra looked back at the fighters as he took half a step back and faltered.

He had to run. It was what he taught to do, raised to do, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Kanan and despite the voice screaming in his head he couldn't make his feet move. He couldn't leave.

"Are you paying attention, boy?"

It seemed his small movement had drawn attention to the Inquisitor's attention to him.

"The Jedi are dead, but there is another path." The Inquisitor glanced past Kanan and locked eyes with Ezra. "The Dark Side."

He couldn't run, it was too late and his feet wouldn't move anyway, which left option two: fight.

"Never heard of it." Ezra fired his sling.

The Inquisitor shoved Kanan aside and absorbed the shot with his saber. He grabbed the Force and used it to throw the boy aside. Not hard enough to kill him or even knock him out, but hard enough to teach the boy not to underestimate him.

"Have you taught him nothing?" The Inquisitor asked disgustedly, forcing the Jedi's attention away from the child and back to him.

The instant the human's green eyes met his they hardened, and the man charged again. The Inquisitor allowed a small smile. The fight was pathetic, a far cry from anything challenging, but there was still that element of danger. A wrong move could still lead to death, and it was that thrill that let him feel the full weight of the Dark Side. The power that made him feel more alive, gave him a greater rush than anything else ever could.

"Do you really think you can save the boy?" He saw the human hesitate as he glanced back at the shild picking himself up off the floor, felt the doubt spike and latched onto it. Humans always were so ridiculously sentimental. "For his sake, surrender."

"I'm not making deals with you," Kanan hissed, raising his lightsaber.

"Hmm. Then we'll let him make one, shall we?" The Inquisitor straightened and thrust out a hand, grabbing the Jedi with the Force and throwing him down the hall where he slammed head first onto the floor. He turned his attention to the child. "Your master can not save you now, boy."

The boy whipped around, and the Inquisitor was treated to the sight of blazing blue eyes.

"He is undisciplined and unfocused." The Inquisitor said as he studied the eyes. First fear, now anger, and so much of both. The boy had potential.

"Then we're perfect for each other." Ezra shouted, raising his sling and firing as quickly as he could.

The Inquisitor swiped his blade through the air, letting the saber absorb the shots before darting forward and swiping at the boy.

Ezra ducked under one end of the duel bladed saber and used the wall to jump over the other. He spun around, body tense and cursing himself for letting the Inquisitor force him back in the direction of the cell. He glanced past the man to where Kanan lay, stirring slightly, and tried to will the Jedi awake.

"I do so admire your persistence." The Inquisitor turned to face Ezra, spinning his lightsaber slowly in front of him. "Ready to die?"

The Inquisitor rushed forward faster than anyone Ezra had ever seen and there was no way he could escape this time. Twin blood red blades rose in the air and Ezra braced himself for the blow.

* * *

"–_ke up_!"

Everything hurt. Muscles he hadn't used in years protesting the sudden demand call to action and his head throbbed in the all too familiar way that told him he'd just been thrown a fair distance.

"_Get up_!"

Kanan winced as the voice screamed through his mind. It was shrill and frantic and only made the pain worse.

"_Get up! Get up! He needs you! Ezra needs you! GET UP!_"

'Ezra?' Kanan forced his eyes open, instinctively looking in the direction of that painfully familiar sound of a lightsaber. Kanan's stomach dropped at the sight of the Sith, blood red saber raised, and about to strike down the boy in front of him

"NO!" Kanan screamed and his arm shot out, the Force wrapping around the Inquisitor and holding him in place. Heaving his arm upward, he plastered the Imperial to the ceiling and glanced at Ezra. "Run!"

The order was pointless as Ezra had already bolted the instant the Inquisitor had frozen. Reaching the still crouching Kanan, Ezra pulled him up. Their heads snapped around at the sound of lightsaber igniting.

The Inquisitor glared at them and gave his wrist a sharp twist. The twin blades began spinning.

"Does yours do that?" Ezra asked, slightly distracted by the spinning blades. If he wasn't so afraid he might die, and the wielder wasn't trying to kill him, he'd be begging to know how that worked. As it was, fear for his life kept him at a safe distance, though his fingers were twitching eagerly.

"Come on!" Kanan growled, turning the boy away and pushing into motion. "Let's go!"

Ezra took the hint and began running again. Kanan quickly over took him and began leading the way. They rounded a corner and spotted Zeb and Sabine.

"Guys!" Sabine shouted, pausing to let them catch up. "This way!"

"You figured out it was a trap?" Kanan asked, keeping pace beside Sabine.

"Yeah. Luminara?"

"Long gone." Kanan glanced ahead to where Zeb was leading the way. Now wasn't the time, but he would morn her passing and those who had fallen into the Empire's trap. "Our new exit?"

"Landing platform."

"Thought it was impossible to get out that way."

"Well, let's hope the Empire thinks so too," Sabine answered, echoing Kanan's words from earlier.

"_Secure the facility_," the Inquisitor's voice echoed over the prison's speakers. "_Full lockdown_."

"Well, that's not helpful," Ezra muttered as doors began closing, sealing off the halls in front, behind, and around them.

They managed to make it down three corridors before the metal doors began closing too fast in front of them. Zeb leapt onto the rising metal slaps, using his body to keep them open.

"Can't do this all day!" He grunted, muscles straining from the effort.

Sabine dove between him and the shrinking walls with Kanan slipping by Zeb after her. Ezra didn't bother slowing or trying to dodge past Zeb and simply body slammed into the Lasat, sending both of them crashing to the floor as the door slammed shut behind them. Ezra rolled with the fall and back onto his feet, continuing his run.

"You're welcome!" He called back over his shoulder. Zeb's curses increased in volume and Ezra smirked. So maybe he was still a little pissed about the whole nearly falling to his death thing. Ezra's satisfaction was short lived as he skidded to stop behind Sabine and Kanan.

A blaster shot sounded behind them and Ezra whipped around, hand automatically shooting to his sling. Seeing Zeb lowering his own weapon having shot the control panel, Ezra flicked his wrist, holstering his own weapon and followed after Kanan, scowling. Zeb might have prevented the Inquisitor from following them into the room, but now they were trapped in the hanger and Ezra had had quite enough of being trapped.

"I'm locked out of the system," Sabine groaned, cursing as the prison's computer shut down. "Ezra?"

Ezra smirked slightly as he pulled out his trusty tool. It seemed it was up to him to save the day again. Ezra pried the panel off the wall and inserted his tool into an opening. The instant he did so, a sharp shock ran up his arm and his hand clenched automatically around his tool. He jerked back, kicking against the wall to free himself, and fell back with a groan.

"Sorry," he muttered, wincing as he sat up and pocketed his tool. It had been ages since he'd been shocked like that and he certainly hadn't missed the way it made his whole body ached dully or the strange metallic taste it left in mouth.

"Ezra," Kanan called softly, pulling him up and over to the door. "Together."

"Seriously?" They were going to try this _now_ of all times? _Really_?!

"Yes. Picture the locking mechanism in your mind," Kana instructed, closing his eyes and raising a hand.

Ezra scowled frustratedly as he copied the actions. That really wasn't a lot to work with. Sighing quietly he tried to do as he was told; the only problem was he had absolutely no idea what kind of lock was keeping the door closed. Was it bolts? Or cylinders? Was there a mechanical override? Or was it all electrical?

Ezra shook his head. He was over thinking this. He didn't need to know the details, all locks worked in the on the same basic principle: prevention of movement. All he needed to do was remove the obstacle, and. . . Ezra's lips curled slightly as he felt the bolts and tumblers shift.

"Excuse me, but can we train Ezra later?" Zeb asked tersely, as he and Sabine primed their weapons, eyes locked on the red saber cutting its way through the door behind the two Force users.

Kanan glanced at them as he rolled his hand over, palm facing up, and slowly began raising the hanger door. Ezra shadowed him, biting his lip as he struggled to move the door. It was a curious sensation, like trying to shove back the wind, and he was having just about as much luck.

"Siht wercs!" Ezra muttered and stuck out his other arm, pushing them up like he was lifting a weight. The door seemed to push back before giving and shooting upward.

'Gotcha!' Ezra's happiness was short lived as the small army of troopers that had been waiting on the other side of the door opened fire.

Zeb threw the last of Sabine's 'miracles' and in the confusion they rushed forward. Halfway across the landing the stormtroopers recovered and the would –be rescuers dove for cover.

"Spectre-5 to _Phantom_. We're on the landing deck, ready for pick up."

"_On my way, Spectre-5_," Hera's voice replied. "_And I'm bringing the fleet_."

"We have a fleet?" Zeb asked, lowering his bo-rifle to send Sabine a questioning look. She shrugged, just as confused as he was.

At the sound of an approaching ship everyone looked around.

"What," Ezra gaped at the large creatures surrounding the _Phantom_, "are _those_?"

"Our fleet, apparently," Kanan answered, signaling them to move out while the stormtroopers were distracted.

They sprinted the last distance to the _Phantom_, firing as they went. A few feet from the ship Kanan paused and turned. Glancing behind him Ezra saw the Inquisitor had caught up to them again and was _throwing his lightsaber_!

'What kind of idiot throws their weapon at their enemy?!' Ezra thought angrily, shooting past Kanan and jumping into the _Phantom_. He turned around in time to see Kanan smack the spinning blades aside and leap up beside him.

"Does yours do that?" Zeb asked as Hera shut the door and took off.

Ezra snickered at the disgruntled look Kanan sent Zeb as he deactivated his saber. Kanan brushed past them, moving to stand behind Hera, and Ezra's shoulders slumped.

'Back to square one,' he thought dully, dropping down onto the nearest seat. He didn't really want to know what Kanan and Hera were talking about, as he was fairly certain it was about how they were going to get rid of him now, but the _Phantom_ was small and his hearing had always been good.

"Master Luminara?" Hera's quiet whisper carried far too easily in the small ship.

"Gone." Kanan replied and Ezra cringed. Did he have to sound so disappointed? "We'll have to find a way to spread the word."

"How's Ezra taking it?"

Ezra's hands tightened their grip on his seat as a sharp pang ran through him. He hadn't thought Hera was just as eager to get rid of him as Kanan was.

"Not as bad as I am. I guess he's stuck with me. For now."

Ezra tugged his hat lower, glad his scarf had stayed in place and no one could see his face. Kanan might have said Ezra was stuck with him, but Ezra knew from his tone that what he'd really meant was Kanan was stuck with him.

It always hurt to hear that he was unwanted, but this hurt more than it should. Ezra ruthlessly crushed the part of him that wanted to ask what he'd done wrong, and beg to stay. He shoved his emotions as far away as possible and let the numbness wash over him. With a sense of detached calm letting him think more clearly he realized it hurt so much because he cared; he'd grown attached to these people, to the feeling of not being alone. The idea of going back to a life loneliness, _again_, was so terrifying it was painful.

Ezra jerked back to reality at the sudden change in sound and looked around. He was up in the dorsal gun well again, though he couldn't remember moving from the _Phantom_ to the _Ghost_, and Lothal was swelling in size as they flew towards it.

Ezra's stomach churned, and for the first time the sight of his home planet filled him with dread. He couldn't. He couldn't go back to being alone, he just couldn't. If Kanan didn't want to teach him, fine, but he could still be useful in other ways. Surely he could convince them to keep him around, right? Better to stay and be unwanted, than alone. He would just avoid them as much as possible and maybe they would forget to get rid of him until it was too late.

* * *

The _Ghost_ had only just landed when the bay doors opened and Ezra shot out of the ship. Kanan expected this as Ezra usually left the ship as soon as it landed, what he was not expecting was for the kid to vanish. Ezra usually stayed within shouting distance of the ship or up on top, but Kanan didn't see him anywhere.

There was a flash of panic but Kanan shoved it back down and forced himself to think logically. He stretched out his senses and nearly jumped in surprise when he found what he was looking for a few feet behind him. Kanan circled around to the underside of the ramp and even though he knew where to look he still almost missed him.

Ezra had tucked himself up under the ramp and was virtually invisible in the shadows and tall grass.

"Look, don't bother say it," Ezra called as soon as Kanan came into view. "I'm letting you off the hook."

"What are you talking about?" Kanan asked distractedly, trying to figure out he could get close to the kid. He frowned, short of lying down and crawling on his stomach or rolling, there was no way he'd fit. As it was he'd already hit his head twice just getting under the ship.

"I know you wanted to dump me on Luminara," Ezra explained. Kanan straightened in surprise at the accusation and smacked his head again, mentally cursing the kid's ability to get into impossibly small places. "Just because she's gone doesn't mean you're stuck with me."

"I don't want to 'dump' you," Kanan corrected, rubbing his head and seriously considering using the Force to drag Ezra out to a place where he could stand without getting a concussion. No, that probably wouldn't help fix whatever the problem was. Sighing, Kanan sat down.

"Look," Kanan began again, carefully inching his way closer to Ezra, but keeping one eye on the ship above him. He _really_ didn't want to hit his head again. "I just wanted you to have the best teacher."

"Well, I don't want the best teacher," Ezra snapped. "I want **you**."

A strange mix of shock, warmth, and pride washed over Kanan.

"Not that you're _not_ the best," Ezra added quickly, somehow managing to make himself even smaller. "I–"

"Ezra."

The boy fell silent.

"I'm not going to try to teach you anymore."

Even though Ezra had been mentally preparing himself for Kanan to tell him he'd given up on him, the words still managed to cut painfully deep.

"If all I ever do is try, that means I don't truly believe I can succeed. So from now on I _will_ teach you." It was odd how calm he felt, but the declaration felt right.

Ezra's head shot up, face blank but eyes filled with surprise and a hint of desperation, and whatever lingering doubt and uncertainty Kanan had was overshadowed by determination.

"Look, I may fail. You may fail," Kanan waved a hand dismissively. "But there is no try."

Ezra swallowed. Kanan had said it so flippantly, as if the prospect of either or both of them failing didn't matter, but Ezra had detected a flicker of unease in Kanan's voice. The idea that the man might be as confused and unsure as him was strangely comforting and Ezra relaxed, the knot his stomach had tied itself into loosening a little.

"I understand." Ezra hesitated before adding an uncertain, "Master."

Kanan stilled in surprise and glanced at Ezra. The last word had been mumbled so quietly he almost though he'd imagined it, but the hint of red on Ezra's face and the feelings of embarrassed discomfort he was able to pick up told him otherwise.

"Let's see if you do." Kanan, caught up in their little moment, forgot he was still under the ship and stood up, banging his head on the underside of the ship. Again. Kanan swore, loud and long, stopping only at the sound of laughter. Kanan's eyebrow twitched.

"Laugh it up, kid, but the next time you try hiding I **will** drag you out with the Force." There was no real heat to his words, and he didn't fight the smile curling his lips. Force, but it had been so long since he'd heard such carefree laughter!

"Who says you'll find me next time?" Ezra smirked.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ Thank you Thunderworlf2456, raymond686, RedtailHawk19. I'm glad you guys think so highly of my work, and yes I saw the trailer for season 2 and I'm totally stoked!

~ to ColorsAndWind, Again, your enthusiasm always makes me smile. As for your question. . .yes, **that person** was talking to Kanan, but that's all I want to say on that as that little scene is going to play a part in a later chapter and I don't want to give spoilers.

~ to CatGirlFireflare: Nope, **that person** just won't give up on Ezra which means the crew is more or less stuck with **that person** as well, even if they aren't aware of it. As for Kanan dragging Ezra out of hiding with the Force. . . . Well, maybe in the future - if Ezra's being particularly stubborn (or stupid).


	16. Blue Eyes: An Inquisitorial Perspective

**Blue Eyes: An Inquisitorial Perspective**

* * *

The Imperial ship was deathly quiet as it flew through hyperspace. The piloting personnel and stormtroopers alike were tense and anxious, and the whole craft was permeated with a sense of impending doom.

The captain shifted uncomfortably in his seat, longing for something to break the silence, but he knew better than to try anything himself and it seemed no one else was foolish enough either. He glanced at his crew, each face bore an expression of wariness, almost fear, as they did their best to be as silent as the shadows they hid in.

The captain let out a soft sigh. It was hard to believe his battle hardened crew could be reduced to _this_, and all because of one individual. The very idea that a single man could turn these brave people into cringing cowards was infuriating, and he had half a mind to command everyone to be as loud and obnoxious as possible. The other half of his mind, however, stopped him with the very recent and utterly terrifying memory of his Pau'an passenger; yellow eyes blazing as the man hissed that he was not to be disturbed. No threat had been added or needed as the Pua'an swept onto his ship, his entire being emitting an aura that promised pain and suffering to any who crossed him.

The Imperial captain shivered at the memory and resolved to endure the silence a little longer. Truthfully, the captain needn't have worried as the source as his fear was in no condition to do anything.

* * *

The Inquisitor stared stonily at the holographic images flickering, one after the other, in front of him. He'd seen them all several times but couldn't be bothered to move and turn off the projector. Not with his body aching as it was from the. . ._punishment_ his failure had earned him.

The last image of the Jedi the prison cameras had captured flashed into view and the Inquisitor's focus sharpened as the next set of images began, these pertaining solely to the person that both intrigued and frustrated him the most: the human boy.

Image after image of the boy flashed before him and the Inquisitor growled softly. Not one camera in the entire prison had managed to get a close up of the boy's face. Not one. The videos were marginally better but watching the boy only confused him more.

The small human showed next to no signs of being trained in the Force, his movements sporadic and unexpected, but carried out with a practiced ease. A stray thought that the boy had been trained to be unpredictable crossed the Inquisitor's mind, but the Sith dismissed it immediately. The boy simple had very good reflexes and instincts. What confused the Inquisitor the most were those moments right after he'd engaged the Jedi the second time. Watching the recordings it almost seemed as if the boy had been about to run, to flee and abandon his Master.

The Inquisitor was not stupid, far from it in fact, and while he had several theories to explain the boy's behavior only one stood out as the most logical and likely: The boy and Jedi had not yet bonded; they were still too new to each other. It would explain the youngling's ignorance and uncertainty, and lack of both fighting style and lightsaber.

Yellow eyes narrowed suddenly in thought. He had sensed another presence hovering around the boy. If the child had not bonded to the Jedi, then perhaps the boy had bonded to someone else? To that unseen presence? Though it angered him that no matter what angle he watched from The Inquisitor could not see any sign of the source of the presence.

"Stop." The single whispered word caused his throat to burn and jaw to ache. The Inquisitor would have groaned if the action wouldn't have caused more pain, and not for the first time he cursed his Master's thoroughness in expressing his displeasure. However, dwelling on the pain would only make it worse, so the Sith forced himself to focus.

As the images were useless, the Inquisitor closed his eyes and began to meditate on his previous encounter. Perhaps, then he would be able to make sense of the child and that mysterious third presence.

The memory surfaced, slower than usual because of his condition, but just as sharp and clear as when he'd been living it.

* * *

'The middle of the night.' The Inquisitor rolled out of bed, glare alternating between the dimly lit clock reading an obscene hour and the light above his head signaling a break in. 'Why was it always the middle of the night?'

The Sith strode over to his computer and pulled up the transmitted data. A small layout of the prison appeared in the upper right corner, a red line indicating the path the intruders were taking. The majority of the screen was taken up with various videos from the prison's security cameras.

A Mandalorian, a Lasat, and two humans; four, possibly a fifth if they had someone waiting with an escape craft; not an impossible assumption. Though the Inquisitor found it hard to believe they were that intelligent. He had had his doubts as to whether or not the plan would even work, and he certainly had not expected a 'rescue' attempt so soon. After all, That Gall Travis character had only gotten a hold of and leaked the news a mere 36 hours ago!

"Fools," The Pau'an sneered as he grabbed his saber and began the march to the cell. As much as he was itching for a fight, a break in the monotony of his duties, the Sith found it quite irritating that his opponents seemed incredibly. . . _stupid_.

'As if the Empire would not be expecting something like this!' he thought, grinding his teeth in irritation as the turbolift descended. 'They could have at least waited long enough for us to think about dropping our guard.'

The lift halted, doors sliding silently open, and the Inquisitor strode off the lift, resisting the urge to stomp his way to the cell. He should not be surprised at the lack of intelligence, these rebels were going against the Empire and only fools would even think to do so, but he could really use a challenge. The Inquisitor shook off the ideal thoughts as he approached the door. Foolish or not, he had a job to do.

The Imperialist stopped in the doorway. Only the two humans were in the cell. Odd he could have sworn he sense three people. Perhaps the proximity to the dead Jedi was affecting his sense?

"What happened to her?" The voice drifted up to him, sounding young and needlessly confused. "I don't understand."

"No?" The hand holding his saber twitched. Really it was bad enough they were ignoring him, did they have to ask such idiotic questions as well? "It doesn't seem complicated."

The two human whipped around, and it was oh so satisfying to see the looks of shock and fear and – and recognition?

While most of the boy's face was hidden by a ridiculous looking scarf and ludicrous hat, those blue eyes were easily visible. The Inquisitor stared at them, mildly fascinated. Such as interesting shade of blue, nothing any of his species would naturally have, and so very expressive. The fear in the youngling's eyes was understandable, expected even, but the recognition? The Inquisitor failed to see how the boy could recognize him, when he was certain he would have remembered eyes like that. Maybe the child had seen him at a distance?

"I am the Inquisitor. Welcome."

The name didn't seem to mean anything to the boy. In fact the small human seemed entirely fixated on _his_ eyes. The Inquisitor found it amusing and a smile tugged at his lips as he stepped into the cell, igniting his saber as he did so. His smile widened as the boy shot back in alarm, and he continued to stare at the boy even as the other human ignited his own saber. The boy was interesting, and for that at least the Inquisitor decided to answer the child's earlier questions.

"Yes, I'm afraid Master Luminara died with the Republic, but her bones continue to serve the Empire," The Inquisitor moved his gaze to the man standing in front of the boy. "Luring the last of the Jedi to their deaths."

"Spectre -3, come in. It's a trap!"

The Inquisitor's eyes snapped back to the boy.

"There will be no reinforcements," he said coldly and the boy flinched back.

The Jedi charged and the Inquisitor focused his attention on the man. Their fight was brief and disappointingly easy. In a matters of moments the Sith had knocked the human onto the ground.

"Clearly," he said, finishing their conversation. "You were a poor student."

Oddly, it was the boy's glare that seemed the more intense. Blue eyes, radiating anger and a need the Pau'an couldn't quite place, glowed almost purple from the light of his saber as the child stood and fired his sling shot.

The Inquisitor let the shots hit him, enjoying the way those blue eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that really all you've got, my boy?" How disappointing that the only weapon the child seemed to have was hardly a weapon at all.

Blue eyes narrowed, anger flashing in them.

"Well, I've got _that_," the boy shot back, waving a hand at something by the door.

The Inquisitor glanced in the direction. No sooner had he spotted the bomb, did it explode and fill the cell with dust and bits of debris. Cursing himself for dropping his guard he followed the two humans out of the cell. He knew which way they were going, back to the turbolifts, and headed them off.

Once he had cornered them, the Inquisitor activated the second blade of his saber. These people might be foolish but the Sith wasn't about to let them get away again.

Red and blue sabers clashed again, and for a moment the Inquisitor let himself enjoy the rush of power that came with knowing his life was on the line. Movement in the corner of his eye brought his attention back to the boy. He had a job to do and while the Sith had no desire to take on an apprentice he could not allow the Jedi to start to rise.

"Are you paying attention, boy?" He locked eyes with the child. "The Jedi are dead, but there is another path – the Dark Side."

Surprise, curiosity, and confusion. The emotions came and went and the Inquisitor found himself once again drawn into the boy's blue eyes. Watching them, the Sith could almost see the thoughts hiding behind them before they narrowed once more.

"Never heard of it," the boy shouted, firing the annoying little slingshot again.

Shoving the Jedi aside, the Inquisitor spun his saber, absorbing the shots, before grabbing the Force and using it to toss the boy against the wall. The Inquisitor turned to the Jedi.

"Have you taught him _nothing_?" he asked, thoroughly disgusted. It was clear the boy had no training, but to leave him ignorant as well? Just what kind of Master was this Jedi?

The human man spun to face him, and they clashed again. The Inquisitor let his annoyance show in his form, moves becoming sharper and less fluid, but no less deadly. As they exchanged blows, the Sith inspected the man. He was not impressed, and even if Lord Vader had not ordered him to, the Inquisitor would have tried to convince the boy to join him as clearly this human was not a suitable Master. Still, if the boy was not willing to leave the man, perhaps he could get the man to leave the boy.

"Do you really think you can save the boy?" The human's eyes shifted to where the child was picking himself up off the floor, and the Inquisitor felt the man's uncertainty. He latched onto it, pressing the advantage. "For his sake, surrender."

"I'm not making deals with you." The man snapped, glaring at him, but the Inquisitor could see the doubt in his eyes.

"Hmm." The Inquisitor's lip curled and straightened. No, if the man was so full of doubt already then he didn't deserve the boy. "Then we'll let him make one, shall we?"

He flung the Jedi back, taking great pleasure in the sound the man made when he hit the floor.

"Your Master cannot save you, boy." The human didn't warrant the title in the Inquisitor's opinion. "He is unfocused and undisciplined."

Blue eyes flashed with anger and the Inquisitor studied them. First fear, now anger, and so much of both. The boy had potential.

"Then we're perfect for each other!" the boy shouted, raising his sling and firing as quickly as he could.

'Well, that much is true,' the Inquisitor thought dryly as he swiped his blade through the air, letting the saber absorb the shots before darting forward and swiping at the boy.

The child ducked under one end of the duel bladed saber and used the wall to jump over the other. The boy spun around, body tense, and the Inquisitor took a moment to catalogue the child's reflexes: they were good, and the boy moved quickly and surely.

"I do so admire your persistence." The Inquisitor turned fully to face the youngling, spinning his lightsaber slowly in front of him. "Ready to die?"

Blue eyes widened in fear and the Inquisitor smiled. He had no intention of killing the child, but he would enjoy putting the brat in his place. He dashed forward, teeth barred in a way he knew was frightening, and watched the fear escalate in those blue eyes. He raised his blades, fascinated by the way the blue eyes hardened, fear overshadowed by resolve.

"NO!"

The scream was his only warning and came too late as the Inquisitor was forced to a halt, invisible ropes binding him in place. It took a great deal of effort but he managed to turn his head around to glare at the Jedi before he was slammed into the ceiling.

He heard more than saw the boy run beneath him towards the Jedi, and felt the press of the Force release him. Dropping to the floor, the Inquisitor turned to face them. He was done toying with them; it was time for the Jedi to die. With a twist of his wrist the blades began to spin.

Blue eyes followed the path of the blades, and the Inquisitor almost laughed at the blatant curiosity in them. Could the child's attention really be that easily captured? If so then he had a new angle he could use to turn the child.

The man turned the boy away and they took off. The Inquisitor made to follow when his attention was suddenly caught by a wave of anger. There it was again, that third presence. He thought he had left it in the cell, but it was back again and very angry.

The Inquisitor glanced around, sensing but not seeing anyone. He snarled quietly. Whoever or whatever this presence was, was not going to stop him. The Inquisitor marched after the fleeing Jedi, eyes still searching for the source of the anger. Seeing nothing, the Inquisitor raised his wrist communicator.

"Secure the facility," he commanded, eyes still scanning the area. "Full lockdown."

Doors began sliding into place, closing off the halls and corridors. The Inquisitor felt the angry presence move, and his sense went haywire trying to track it until it seemed to settle and fade away in the direction of the rebels.

Annoyed he'd let himself get distracted and with the doors closing faster in front of him than behind him, the Inquisitor picked up his pace.

'When I find the idiot that decided to have the barriers close from the inner workings out,' the Inquisitor thought angrily as he jumped through another set of sliding metal plates. 'I will kill him.'

Metals walls slammed shut in front of him. Growling, the Inquisitor thrust his saber through them, carving himself a path.

"No," the Inquisitor muttered as he stepped through the glowing circle he'd created. "I think I'll test the new interrogation droids on the fool instead."

By the time the Sith made it to the landing platform the rebels were already boarding their getaway ship.

Blue eyes, stared down at him, too far away for the Inquisitor to see what emotions were playing them. The ship's door closed and the boy was blocked from view.

* * *

Yellow eyes snapped open and the Inquisitor was once again staring at the holographic image of the boy. His lip curled at the sight. How odd the hologram's eyes were the same shade as the boy's, though they lacked the intensity and depth.

The Inquisitor turned off the projector, but the boy's blue eyes still filled his mind along with the same questions that had plagued him since he first set eyes the youngling.

Why had the boy recognized him? Who or what was that third presence?

His meditation had provided him with no answers, but he would find the child and next time he wouldn't get away. Next time he would get his answers.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I had wanted to do more regarding the Inquisitor's perspective in the last chapter but it got too long. So I decided to do a separate chapter instead. This is my attempt to see inside the Inquisitor's head and poke fun of the show a little bit since some of the things didn't make a great deal of sense to me. For instance:

~ Issue 1: The rebels immediately decided to rescue Luminara**_ right after_** the broadcast. That, to me, is so incredibly stupid it made me want to smack Kanan. What in the world were they thinking?! The broadcast at literally just ended, if you were the Empire and someone just broadcasted secret information wouldn't you be on high alert for such a rescue attempt? Granted, it was a trap, but still! Any one with half a brain, would have waited until they at least thought security might be lax. Come on people, let's use our brains!

~ Issue 2: (and this is more just a common sense thing to me) After the Inquisitor called for lockdown the doors shut from the inside out. . .**_WHY?! _**Why the bloody hell did the doors shut from the inside out?! It should have been the other way around if not all at once. Why? Well, let's think about it shall we? Let's say you're a prisoner trying to escape. you manage to make it about 3 halls away from your cell before anyone notices and calls for a lock down. Now if the doors close from the inside out that means that they are closing faster behind you than in front of you, practically chasing you out of the building! Not only that but it's giving you more time to get out! Now if the doors closed from the outside in, then by the time you made anywhere close to the exit all those doors would have been sealed instead of the doors leading to your cell being sealed.

Ok, my rant is over, but still **_seriously people?! _**. . . . It's not me, right? It's them? Tell me it's not me! Ok, **now** I'm done. Thanks for reading!

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ Mary Penelope: True, very true and a very good point, but I still think the rebels should have at least cased the place instead of just rushing head long into a rescue mission. Yes, they had the blue prints but that doesn't take into account the troop movements and/or guard placements, and it would take _at least_ a day to get a rough idea of what those are. But thanks for the input! Constructive criticism is **always** welcome.

~ to EmpressRulerofallthatisweird: I'm glad someone agrees with me!

~ to CatGirlFireflare: Thanks, glad you liked my weird little twists. And, well, I couldn't exactly let **that person** not do anything when Ezra was being picked on, could I? Yeah. . . It's probably a good thing **that person **can't really interact with anyone other than Ezra. If **that person** could speak and/or contact anyone else, I don't think the Inquisitor, the _Ghost_ crew, or anyone else that crossed Ezra would ever have a moment of peace! (maybe as a funny oneshot later, hmm?) AS for Kanan sensing her? Well, we'll see.

~ to kikatyugi: So glad I'm not the only one that was confused by those (obvious in my opinion) plot holes. I had so much fun writing the Inquisitor's POV. I always liked intelligent villains, and the Inquisitor struck me as a really smart guy stuck in a lousy job. I can just picture him rubbing his temples going "Dear God, what did I do to deserve _this_?!" as a bunch of stormtrooper run around like headless chickens. Personally, it's no wonder the guy's a dick all the time. If I had to deal with stupid and over complicated plots, idiotic underlings (and superiors), and utterly hopeless troopers I'd probably be bald and an ass to everyone too.

~ to ImThatFangirl: Again, so glad I'm not the only one that noticed that. Yeah, the 'It's just a kid's show' excuse gets old quick, still it moves the plot along and that why we do this: write about it!


	17. That Insignificant Detail

**That Insignificant Detail**

* * *

Ezra stared listlessly up at the ceiling.

"I can't believe they got me to agree to this." With a groan, Ezra rolled over and buried his face in the bundled up blanket that was currently doubling as a pillow.

Five and half hours ago Hera had informed everyone that the Empire had managed to get a hold of a very large shipment of kyber crystals. According to Kanan that was very bad news as the kyber crystals could be used to power all kinds of dangerous and terrible weapons, which meant they needed to find the shipment and stop it before it could reach its unknown destination. The nearest and most accessible location to the crew that this information could be found at was the Imperial Academy on Lothal.

Three hours and fifteen minutes ago, after over two hours of thinking up and discarding any and all ideas, Kanan had come up with a seemingly simple solution: send someone undercover into the Academy. The Imperial Academy was due to take in its newest batch of cadets in just under month which presented them with the perfect opportunity to slip someone inside for an undercover op. There were only two people in the crew that could pass as prospective cadets, only one of which had any chance of success: Ezra.

Two hours and forty-eight minutes ago Ezra had been ecstatic at the idea of going undercover. It was perfect for him! Who better to go undercover than someone who had spent years conning and tricking people? That he would be pulling a fast one over on the Empire was just an added bonus to Ezra. There had also been that underlying feeling of pride. Pride that Kanan trusted him to do this and trusted that he would succeed.

Two hours and thirty-nine minutes ago Sabine had downloaded everything Ezra might need to know onto a datapad and Kanan had told him to use the hour that had been set aside for meditation to study instead.

Two hours and thirty-seven minutes ago Ezra had sat down on his bunk and reality had sunk it.

Ezra flopped back over and resumed staring unseeingly at the ceiling. The high that had come with being chosen to go undercover was long gone replaced by an increasing feeling of unease, bordering on fear as Ezra thought of all the possible ways this could go wrong. He was so out of it he didn't register Zeb entering the cabin or any of the remarks the Lasat threw at him. It wasn't until Zeb had fallen asleep and the ship became as silent as its name that Ezra jolted back to the present. He sat up, feet carrying him automatically to the small maintenance hatch. Ezra stared at the holographic picture for a few minutes before finally voicing the thought that had brought him here.

"I'm going to school."

The words rang in his ears and pushed Ezra out of the state of shock he'd been in and panic took over.

"Sweet mother of the Force!" Ezra exploded. "And not just _any_ school, oh no! They're sending me to the Academy, the _Imperial Academy_!"

Ezra groaned, hands fisting in his hair.

"What was Kanan thinking? No, scratch that. Was he even thinking _at all_? Forget that I haven't even looked at a school in years, how am I supposed to get in? Into an _Imperial_ school, run by _Imps_, and guarded by _stormtroopers_. The same Imps that are trying to arrest me, and the same troopers that are always trying to shoot me!"

Ezra banged a fist against the wall in frustration.

"Wercs going under cover, I should just steal it. Ok, so we don't know who has the data or what office they're in, but it wouldn't be that hard to find out. I'd just camp out in the air ducts or something for a few days and. . ." Ezra trailed off, drumming his fingers on his knee.

It was a stupid idea and he knew that. Breaking into the Imperial Academy and moving around without getting caught would be hard to do once. He was bound to get caught he kept coming and going which he would have to do if he didn't want to die of dehydration. It wasn't like Ezra could take a couple days worth of food and water with him and he wouldn't exactly be able to waltz into the Academy toilets whenever the urge hit him. Well, not more than once or twice anyway. He was good, but not _that_ good.

"How the kriff are they even going to get me in? I – this face, _my _face," Ezra gestured to it, "is in the system! I know the students, cadets, whatever they're called, get uniforms with helmets, but I can hardly go around with one on my head the entire time!

"Oh, and let's not forget that tiny, insignificant detail of _it's a __**school**_! I don't think I've ever been to school, and now they want me to go to an Imperial school? Schools and Loth-rats like me? That's like. . . like Chopper and manners! We don't mix."

They were excuses, real issues true, but not the ones that had his stomach twisting into knots. Ezra could barely read, hardly add simple numbers, and didn't know anything about the greater galaxy beyond what he'd picked up from travelers and now the crew. Ezra's hands curled into fists. He was going to blow the mission before the first day was over, kicked out because he didn't know even the basics of anything. The feeling of failure was overwhelming and he could already see the looks of disappointment and disgust.

Ezra kicked at the wall, frustration and anxiety getting the best of him.

"Frag it! How am I going to fix this?"

* * *

Zeb stretched his arms over his head, letting out a soft groan of appreciation when his back popped. He really needed a proper cool down after his workout, but at the moment he only cared about hitting the showers. The sound of muffled cursing made his ears twitch and Zeb rolled his eyes. It looked like Ezra was 'studying' again, if you could call spending an hour cursing out a datapad 'studying'. Zeb gave the door a sharp rap and waited until the cursing stopped before opening the door. The only reason he was being so courteous was because of a rather painful incident three days ago he didn't want to repeat.

The cursing stopped and Zeb entered the room, glancing around and relaxing when it seemed everything was firmly and unmovingly in place. He spotted Ezra in his bunk, giving the datapad in his hands a look that promised it a painful death. Zeb rolled his eyes at the sight.

"Datapad insult you again, kid?"

Ezra glanced at Zeb before returning his gaze to the pad. The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees and Zeb wouldn't have been surprised if the device in the kid's hands spontaneously exploded. It didn't, and Ezra didn't reply beyond sending Zeb a hand gesture that would have earned him weeks of the worst chores had Hera or Kanan seen it. Zeb huffed but refrained from saying anything, sensing that now wasn't the best time. Still, he made sure to be extra loud and distracting as he went about gathering fresh clothes and readying the fresher for a shower.

Zeb took as long as he could, hoping that when he got out Ezra would be done 'studying.' The kid had become surly and snappish ever since he'd been assigned the mission and had taken up studying instead of mediation. It wasn't so noticeable the rest of the time, but once the doors to the cabin closed and the datapad came out the kid was a right pain to live with.

Zeb turned off the water and groaned as the unmistakable sound of swearing reached his ears. Grumbling under his breath and letting out a few choice curses of his own, Zeb took his time getting dressed. Zeb reached for the button to open the door and jumped at a particularly loud and colorful curse.

'Hu, didn't know the brat knew that kind of language. If Hera could hear him. . .' Zeb grinned at the potential blackmail opportunities and his held off leaving the fresher in favor of eavesdropping.

". . . Impehrihahl? No, Imperihahl? Imperial! Timmad, I should know this word by now! 'Imperial bat-ta-lines?' Wha-? 'Imperial battal. . .lie ons?' Battal, um, battalih? No, battal – Arg! Son of Hutt, you–"

Zeb leaned back from the door as a slew of foreign words reached him. He might not know what Ezra was saying, but he could recognize a string of curses when he heard it. Not that he cared at the moment, Zeb had completely forgotten the reason he was eavesdropping in light of the rather startling discovery.

"You can't read."

Ezra jumped and spun to face him, eyes wide with surprise, then paled as Zeb's words registered. Ezra blinked and visibly shook himself.

"Of course, I can _read_," Ezra spat angrily.

"Sithspit, kid, don't lie to me," Zeb snapped.

"I'm not lying!" Ezra protested, but Zeb wasn't listening.

"Karabast! This is a problem," Zeb muttered, making his way to the door. "Better give Kanan the heads up–"

"NO!"

Ezra launched himself across the room, tackling Zeb around the knees and sending him crashing to the floor.

"What the–?!" Zeb grunted, struggling to sit up as Ezra tried to keep him pinned to the floor.

"Don't tell him!" Ezra shouted, putting his whole weight into keeping Zeb from reaching his comm.

"Get off!" Zeb shoved Ezra off him and sat up, grimacing slightly. 'Blasted kid and his pointy elbows!' "Kid, Kanan can help you. Now give me back my comm and I'll–"

"No." Ezra shot to his feet, shoving Zeb's comm into a pocket. "You're not telling him!"

"Kid," Zeb sighed and stood up, crossing his arms. "In case you missed it, we _need_ to stop that shipment. If you can't even read–"

"I _can_ read," Ezra snapped. Zeb raised a brow and Ezra looked away. "Just not. . . much."

"Right," Zeb said skeptically. "Either way, kid, this op's too important for you to screw up, so swallow your pride and ask Kanan for help."

Zeb's eyes narrowed as Ezra's jaw clenched and the boy continued to glare at the wall.

"Why don't you want Kanan to know?"

Ezra's expression turned mulish and Zeb rolled his eyes. Teenagers! They were going to be the death of him. Zeb grabbed the kid by the back of his shirt and hauled him up so they were eye level.

"Hey!" Ezra cried, trying to twist himself free. "Put me down!"

"Out with it, kid, or I'll throw you back in the cupboard and you can wait there until Kanan and Hera get back from Vizago's. Oh, and I'll be telling them all about your little 'problem.'" When Ezra continued to glare silently Zeb shrugged and turned to the door. "To the cupboard then."

"Alright, alright!" Ezra shouted. "I'll tell you, just put me down."

Zeb dropped him and Ezra landed in a small crouch in front of the door. After almost a full minute of silence Zeb's impatience got to him. Honestly, getting anything straight from the boy was like pulling teeth.

"Well?" Zeb growled.

"I don't wanna. . ." Ezra trailed off in a mumble too low for Zeb's ears to hear.

"_Kid_," Zeb warned.

"Disappoint him!" Ezra said in a rush. "I just. . . I just don't want to disappoint him. Kanan's finally started teaching me, _really teaching_ me, and I just don't – don't want him to think he's wasting his time on me or. . .anything."

Ezra looked away as he mumbled his explanation and shifted uncomfortably, hands clenching and unclenching at his side. Zeb sighed and scratched the back of his head. Zeb shouldn't be surprised by the outburst, but at the same time he hadn't been expecting it, though he should have given what he knew of both Kanan and Ezra's personalities.

"Look, ki–Ezra, I hear what you're sayin' and I, uh, understand." Ezra gave him a flat look and Zeb huffed. "Believe it or not, kid, but I was young once too."

"Yeah, 'cause I can totally see _you _short, fluffy, and cute," Ezra snorted.

"And there were people I wanted to impress," Zeb continued through gritted teeth.

Ezra stiffened in surprise and eyed Zeb curiously.

"We all look up to someone at least once, kid," Zeb huffed and moved back from the door. "Take it from someone who's been where you are, tell Kanan. He might be surprised but he won't think any less of you. But beating yourself up over it and cursing at the datapad ain't gonna solve your problem."

Ezra looked away from his roommate and bit the inside of his cheek. He really, _really_ didn't want to tell Kanan, not after Kanan had entrusted him with such an important mission. He didn't want to see the surprise followed by that look of resigned disappointment he knew Kanan would wear once he realized he'd been stupid for thinking he could have any sort of faith in Ezra. Ezra's hands curled into fists. He could see it happen so clearly it was terrifying.

Zeb was wrong, it wasn't pride that was keeping Ezra silent, it was fear.

'No, no one else can know, _especially_ Kanan, but. . .' Ezra's eyes landed on the one person that already knew.

"Well, there is one solution." Ezra caught Zeb's eye and smirked.

Zeb twitched, he knew that look. That was the look Ezra got right before he decided to do something stupid and reckless, like steal fruit from an Imperial transport or when he wanted to try a new maneuver with the TIE they had, er, _borrowed_.

"_You_ could teach me."

"No."

"Oh, come on!" Ezra scowled. "Why?"

"That should be _my_ question! Why do you," Zeb poked Ezra in the head, "want me to teach you? Why would you even consider it? Kanan's your 'Master' go get him to teach you to read. What even makes you think I can help you?"

Ezra crossed his arms and leaned against the door.

"Ok, for the third time I _can _read! And I'm not stupid," Ezra spat. "Bo-rifle? Honor Guard? If that's anything like the Academy then obviously you graduated from some type of school. Besides, I've seen you read reports, and not just the ones in Basic. I've heard you help Kanan plan attacks, seen you help Hera with repairs, and Sabine is always asking you for help with stuff. Stuff I can't even begin to make sense of. Plus you're always playing Dejarik with Chopper. You might lose all the time, but still. . ."

"You rag on me all the time," Zeb pointed out, trying to wrap his head around everything Ezra had said.

"Yeah," Ezra admitted. "Smelly, overgrown, annoying, loud, messy, sure. But I've never called you stupid."

It was a bit of a shock to realize the kid was right. Never once, out of all the insults they'd traded, had Ezra ever called him stupid or insulted his intelligence in any way.

"So, you'll do it?"

Zeb blinked and looked down at the kid. Big mistake. Ezra was still leaning against the door looking completely at ease and unconcerned, but his eyes held a guarded hope and were silently begging him. Zeb groaned.

"Fine."

"Yes!"

"Oh, I wouldn't celebrate just yet."

Ezra froze, the sixth sense in the back of his head warning him to run before it was too late. Zeb's hand dropped down on his head and an impending sense of **doom** washed over him.

"Welcome, to Zeb's cram school where my motto is 'you're gonna learn if it kills you, and it just might.'"

One glance at the look of sadistic glee on Zeb's face and Ezra wondered if it might have been better just to come clean.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I'm trying my best to add as many 'real' curse words from the Star Wars universe as possible, such as 'frag' and 'kriff.' Just in case you're wondering where they came from.

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~  To. This. Day77: Yep, first time I saw 'Breaking Ranks' I wondered how Ezra got through the academic parts without getting kicked out.

~ to Guest 1 (guest reviews answered in the order received): I laugh every time I read your review! It makes me wonder how they got him ready "for real" and I get these little cartoons images of each of the crew trying to teach Ezra. When it's Zeb turn I see them spending the entire time yelling and wrestling with each other. Sabine's turn would be spent with Ezra flirting with her. Chopper, yeah, I agree the droid would most likely spend the entire time zapping Ezra and I imagine that would be the most terrifying 'class' for Ezra. Kanan would probably teach him like he does Jedi lessons though I see Ezra much less focused, more like a kid with a substitute teacher. Hera I see being the only with any real success at teaching Ezra.

~ to Guest 2: Yeah, I don't know about anybody else but I always considered it the books fault when I didn't understand something, so naturally they needed to be properly intimidated.

~ to DeathGoddesses: *Sigh* Yes, poor, Ezra. He's going to need a lot of help, but I think Zeb might need more. _He_'s the one that has to try and teach.

~ to RedtailHawk19: Man, I hope it'll be interesting or else I got you all excited or nothing (Oh the pressure!). I'm glad you like my additions and yes, I'm stoked for the next season! It's killing me that it won't be out for more than a month.

~ to ImThatFangirl: I plan on doing a chapter, over it. Actually, that was what this chapter was supposed to be, but the set up ended up longer than I expected so studying with Zeb will be it's own chapter. Might be a bit on the short side though, depending on how much my muse decides to give me, but I'll do my best. And yes, I saw the preview and I'll admit to geeking out.

~ to Guest 3 (though this is in response to a review to chapter 2. . .): Ya know, you're only the second person to comment on that. To be honest, I was being to wonder if anybody had figured it out. I suppose it's lazy writing, but I think it looks alien enough and gets the point across.

~ to Guest 4: I (try to) update once a week, usually Sunday night/Monday morning. . .ish.

~ to CatGirlFireflare: I see Zeb being as rough as he thinks is necessary, which might be too much or not enough. As for hiding in the vents. . .Well, Ezra did ask for this and he doesn't want anyone else to know so I don't really see him doing that. Now, he might if he doesn't want to do something else. Glad you agree with the streets not being the place to learn to read or write and thanks! I really try to keep them all in character as much as possible, but I sometimes think I slip a bit so thanks for the positive feedback!


	18. Cram School, Lasat Style!

**Cram School, Lasat Style!**

* * *

They stared at each other, every now and then one of them would cast a quick glance at the door or the object lying between them. For the most part though they stared at each other and for every passing second the tension grew.

In the back of his mind Zeb thought it would be much less stressful and much easier to face off against a few squads of stormtroopers. In fact, if that was an option he'd happily take it right now. Zeb had helped train new recruits before, but he'd never actually _taught_ anything. The prospect of doing so was. . . Well, terrifying.

'Karabast! No wonder Kanan put off Jedi training so long.'

He was a warrior not a scholar, damn it! Hand him a weapon and tell him to show the kid how to fight, have him lead an assault against bucket heads, or order him keep the boy alive during another one of their suicide runs. Any of those would be easier than _this_! There were just so many ways this could go wrong. What if he made a mistake? Over looked or forgot to teach the kid something and the mission failed? Or worse, if Ezra got caught?

'Karabast! How the kriff did he convince me to do this?' Zeb thought.

"So, are you going to do anything or just stare at me?" Ezra asked, peering up at Zeb. "I mean, I know good looking and all, and if you were Sabine this would be great, but you're not. So can we get this over with?"

Zeb blinked down at Ezra who was resting his chin on the arm he'd propped on the table and looking completely bored and irritated. Except for his eyes, which were still staring at Zeb anxiously.

'Karabast!' Now he remembered. It was those eyes!

"Keep your hat on, kid," Zeb grumbled, shoving the ratty thing down over Ezra's annoyingly expressive eyes. "I was tryin' to figure out how to start."

"Don't touch my hat," Ezra hissed, pushing it back so he could glare at Zeb. "And why didn't you do that last night? Or this morning? We've been sitting here for–"

Ezra glanced at Zeb's clock.

"Almost five minutes! I've got less than an hour before Kanan's gonna expect me for physical training and at this rate we'll have done nothing!"

"You can tell time?" Zeb relaxed a little. That was one less thing to worry about.

"Yes, I can tell time," Ezra snapped, eyes flashing angrily.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Zeb shot back. "You're always late getting back from where ever it is you run off to, no matter how many times Kanan or Hera tell you when to be back."

"Whatever," Ezra muttered, looking away as a sharp pang ran through him. "Let's just get this over with."

"Fine, then," Zeb huffed and picked up the datapad, turning it on. "I hope you're a quick study, 'cause I ain't repeating myself."

Ezra rolled his eyes and took the datapad.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Might as well start at the beginning," Zeb answered, moving so he could see the screen.

Surprisingly Ezra didn't argue and did as Zeb suggested.

"OK, so here?" Ezra pointed.

"Yeah," Zeb nodded. "Just, ah, start there and read as much as you can. I'll help when you get stuck."

"'K," Ezra muttered, scanning the first few lines and shifting into a more comfortable position. "Ok, so. . . 'The Empih-Empire! Is mah-made! Up of. . .'"

It was slow going and Zeb had to fight the urge to rip the datapad away and read it himself. Patience was not his strong point and the choppy, broken way Ezra read was painful to listen to. It was a relief when Ezra finally stumbled across a word he needed help with and by the end of the hour they'd made a decent amount of progress and fallen into a, not exactly comfortable, but tolerable pattern.

It lasted three days.

* * *

"For the twelfth time, it's con_quer_ed. 'Ker' with a 'k' sound," Zeb growled.

"But it's spelled with a '_q_'!" Ezra snapped back.

"It's pronounced 'k'!" After two days of making the same corrections again and again Zeb's patience was hanging by a hair. Today seemed so much worse as Ezra questioned everything Zeb said.

"Ok, but _why_?" Ezra was frustrated. None of the Zeb's corrections made any sense. The only letters that were supposed to make different sounds were vowels, but now it seemed every letter made 4 or 5 different sounds and there was no set pattern or reason at all.

It was stupid and frustrating and all Ezra wanted to do was throw the stupid datapad. Preferably at Zeb, who seemed to think smacking him on the back of the head every time he made a mistake would keep him from making it again.

"It just does," Zeb growled, smacking Ezra on the head. "Now stop arguing with me and read!"

"Stop that!" Ezra glared at Zeb, rubbing his head. "It's not helping."

"Maybe I just need to do it harder." Zeb smirked and thumped Ezra on the head again. "Besides it helps _me_."

"Oh? Well, maybe I should try it." Ezra smacked Zeb upside the head with the datapad and smirked. "Well, what do ya know? That did hel – ouch!"

Ezra's hands flew to his head which was throbbing rather painfully.

"Maybe now what I've been teachin' you will stick," Zeb said smugly, idly twirling the datapad he'd snatched.

"Oh, it's sticking all right," Ezra muttered. "In fact, why don't I show you how much I've 'learned?'"

"What are you on abo-Rmphf!"

Zeb was knocked back as Ezra tackled him, swiping the datapad and bringing it down on Zeb's head. Or trying to anyway.

"So that's how it's gonna be, eh?" Zeb grumbled, holding Ezra at bay with one hand. "You want to learn the hard way? Fine!"

Kanan paused outside the door to Ezra and Zeb's cabin. The sounds of muffled thumps and cursing sounded from inside and he sighed.

'Great, _another_, fight to break up.' Kanan scowled and opened the door.

Despite the number of fights Kanan had broken up, and not just the one between crew members, the sight that greeted him still managed to surprise him. Zeb and Ezra were on the floor with Zeb rubbing a datapad in Ezra's face while Ezra tried to push him back with a foot to Zeb's face.

"What," Kanan stared at them, his mind trying to figure out how and why this situation had come about, "is going on?"

It was almost comical how they both froze and slowly turned to face him.

"Well, ah." Zeb very deliberately lifted the datapad away from Ezra's face. "I was, uh–"

"Quizzing me," Ezra cut in. "Sorta. We had a slight disagreement–"

Zeb snorted and Ezra kicked him.

"–about one of my answers," Ezra finished and the two exchanged looks.

Kanan raised a brow. He knew Ezra wasn't lying. They had all been made aware, quite painfully and brutally in some cases, of Ezra's stance on lying: tell none, receive none. But that didn't mean the boy couldn't, or wouldn't, spin a tale of half truths. Kanan had the sneaking suspicions – actually, no, he was absolutely positive they were hiding something, but finding out wasn't worth the headache. . . He hoped.

"Since you have so much energy," Kanan said, drawing the boy's attention back to him. "Today we'll be testing your endurance."

"Again?" Ezra groaned, but stood and followed Kanan anyway.

"Don't look at me like that," Kanan drawled, prodding Ezra along in front of him. "You focus more when you're up and moving or when you're too tired to move."

Zeb's ears twitched and an idea began to form.

* * *

Ezra leaned against the wing of the TIE, eyes flicking from the datapad on the ground to a spot on the horizon. A figure appeared in the distance and Ezra sighed.

"About time!" Ezra shouted once Zeb was in hearing range. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."

"Shove off, kid," Zeb said, dropping a small bag next to the datapad. "It would have looked too suspicious if we'd left at the same time."

"Anyway, I did what you asked and talked to Kanan and he agreed to let me 'study' after physical training." Ezra pushed himself away from the TIE and walked over to Zeb. "You gonna tell me why now? And what's all this?"

Ezra poked through the bag.

"Cards? Rocks? Oh, credits!"

"Don't even think about it!" Zeb snatched the bag away with a scowl. "I know exactly how much I put in there and if it's not all there when we're done I'm takin' what's missing out of your hide, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Ezra said dismissively. "Now what's all this junk for?"

"This" Zeb waved the bag at Ezra, "is what I'm going to be using to pound some smarts into that head of yours."

"So, you're gonna pay me to learn?" Ezra eyed the spot in the bag he knew the credits were.

"Not exactly."

"I don't trust that tone." Ezra's eyes snapped to Zeb. He knew that tone. That was the tone that preceded lots of running, bruises, and him mentally cursing a blue streak, which was exactly what he was doing as he stared up at his smug looking roommate.

"Good, means my plans already working," Zeb smirked before clapping his hands together. "Alright here's the plan: You come straight here after Kanan's done with ya. You'll get a brief rest while _I _read–"

"I thought the whole point was for me to learn!"

Zeb's fists descended on Ezra's head.

"Ouch!"

"Don't interrupt! Now, as I was saying," Zeb continued. "_I_'ll read for bit so you know what the words are _supposed_ to sound like. Then we're going to go over numbers and stuff like that. Then, _you're_ going to read and when you're done I'm gonna quiz ya on what we went over. Got it?"

"Got it," Ezra repeated hoarsely.

"Good." Zeb sat down and picked up the datapad. "Now sit down, shut up, and pay attention."

Grumbling under his breath, Ezra dropped down next to Zeb, peering over his shoulder so he could follow along.

* * *

"Finally!" Ezra watched, hawk like, as Zeb carefully arranged the credits and a handful of rocks in front of him. "I was wondering when I was going to see you lovelies!"

"Don't even think about it, kid." Zeb slapped Ezra's hand away when he made to touch them. "And don't forget I know _exactly_ how much is here."

"Oh, come on!" Ezra whined. "Can't I have one?"

"Tell ya what," Zeb smirked. "You get every question correct the _first time_ and I'll think about it."

"Deal! I hope you're ready to lose a credit."

"Right," Zeb drawled and sat down across from Ezra. "Ya said you knew how to count. Do you know how to add and subtract?"

"Um," Ezra scratched his head. "Is that like taking and giving?"

"'Taking and giving?'" Zeb snickered. "What are you, five?"

"No," Ezra growled, socking the Lasat in the arm. "But that was how old I was the last time someone taught me."

"Right," Zeb winced and not because his arm hurt. "Anyway, yeah it's pretty much the same, only. . ."

Zeb laid out the basics, using the rocks and credits to demonastrate.

"So," Ezra tossed one of the rocks in the air and frowned. "If you buy something that's subtracting and if you stea – er – get money that's adding?"

Zeb stared at him.

"Is everything about money to you?"

"No, there's food too."

"Well, _that_ explains a lot," Zeb muttered.

Ezra scowled at him. "Can we just get on with this?"

"Sure, kid." Zeb rolled his eyes. "Let's start with something simple like. . .two plus two."

"Four," Ezra answered flatly. "And if you don't want to lose that credit, make it harder."

"Fine then how about. ."

They continued for a while, Zeb posing problems and Ezra giving answers. Zeb was actually surprised at how well the kid was doing, only stumbling occasionally on the more complicated problems. Until Zeb decided to try multiplying and divding.

"Ok, how 'bout 36 divided by 4?"

"What's. . .dividing?" Ezra asked scrunching his nose up at the word.

"Of course you wouldn't know," Zeb muttered, dragging a hand over his face. "Ok, it goes like this. . ."

Zeb laid out the basics.

"That is stupid. And confusing. And stupid. And confusing. Oh did I mention that it's stupid and confusing?" Ezra asked far too cheerfully for the glare he was giving the diagrams etched into the dirt.

"Kid, I've explained this four times!" Zeb's growled exasperated and barely resisting the urge to crush the rock in his hands from frustration. "What aren't you getting?"

"I don't know! All of it?" Ezra ground out, pounding a fist into the ground. "It's just not making any sense. Multiplying? Dividing? Sounds like fancy adding and subtracting to me."

"It is just fancy adding and subtracting!" Zeb spat back, completely irritated with Ezra's apparent inability to grasp the concept he'd spent the last hour trying to explain.

"Then why do I need to learn it?"

"Because you'll be expected to know it!"

"But I can add and subtract to get the answers right?"

"Well, . . .yes."

"Then I don't need to know it!"

"Yes, you do!"

"But," Ezra glared at Zeb, not bothering to hide his frustration. "You just said I can get the answers by adding and subtracting, so I don't _need_ to know this!"

"Yes. You. _Do_!"

"But you just said–!"

"Look, kid," Zeb interrupted. "Just get it through that head of yours that you need to learn this and _learn it already_!"

"Oh, yeah?" Ezra stood up and started marching away. "Make me!"

"You asked for it," Zeb snarled and launched himself at the boy.

Ezra yelped as Zeb tackled him and the two rolled around until Zeb wrestled Ezra into a head lock and dragged him, cursing and swearing the whole way, back to their 'teaching spot.'

"I don't care how long it takes you, brat," Zeb growled, shoving Ezra down and sitting on him so he couldn't run again. "But you're not leaving until you get this!"

"Well, then it looks like we're both gonna die here!" Ezra spat back. "You from starvation, and me from your fat ssa!"

Zeb ground his teeth and forced Ezra to face the diagrams he'd drawn.

It took two more hours of swearing –from both of them–, insults –from both of them–, and several more escape attempts –mostly from Ezra but one from Zeb, in which Ezra took great pleasure in using the Force to drag him back– before they were both too exhausted to continue.

But Ezra did, _finally_, learn how to multiply and divide. . .a little.

* * *

"Alright, time to see how much you've learned."

"Do we have to?" Ezra eyed the rocks in Zeb hands. "Do really have so little faith in your teaching skills?"

"My skills? No." Zeb answered with a smirk and tossed a rock in the air. "You're ability to learn? Yes."

Ezra glared at him.

"Oh, stop complainin'! Kanan throws rocks at you, and I'm not even blindfolding ya!"

"At least he gives me a lightsaber," Ezra muttered, but readied himself anyway.

Zeb smirked. "Tell me about those three laws we covered today."

Ezra did, dodging rocks as he did so and only getting occasionally when he was to distracted trying to remember an answer.

"Not bad, kid, only missed a few," Zeb said once all the rocks were gone and cracking his knuckles. "Ready for round two?"

"Wrestling? Again?" Ezra groaned.

"Sabine said they train you in hand to hand combat."

"I still can't believe you made me ask her," Ezra muttered, face reddening as he remembered the awkward conversation.

"I can't believe you actually asked," Zeb laughed. "Your face though!"

"Shut it! You're just using this as an excuse to hit me!"

"So you are learning," Zeb grinned. "Good."

Ezra sneered and launched himself at Zeb.

* * *

_"__Ezra, sweety, it's four, five, __**six**__, not seven, got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

***o***

_"__Alright, kiddo, let's do this! 'A big, red cat ran up the hill.' Ok, you're turn."_

_"'__A b-bi-big, redah cat ra-ran? ran up tah-the! hill?'"_

_"__Well, would look at that! Honey, Ezra can read! Great job, kiddo, I knew you'd get it! Remember, never give up. Got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

***o***

_"__New rule! . . .Got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

_"__. . .Don't ever. . .! Got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

_" __. . .Just do what I say, ok?"_

_"__Got it!"_

_"__. . .like that again! Got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

_"__. . .take this seriously. . . Got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

_"__Whatever it take. . .be the one that walks away, got it?"_

_"__Got it!"_

Ezra jerked awake with a start and immediately buried his face his pillow. It didn't do any good and the words continued to echo in his head. Memories, long buried, kept playing over and over. All the lessons he'd ever learned. Ezra groaned.

"Zeb, this is all your fault."

No answer, but Ezra wasn't expecting one, and truthfully as far as memories went those had actually been. . .nice. Really nice. Ezra rolled over and smiled as he listened to the quiet, steady breathing of his roommate.

He liked the lessons. Sure he and Zeb fought like wet cats in a bag, and Ezra wasn't sure how much he was actually learning, but it was kinda nice to be the center of someone's attention. Yeah, Kanan taught him one on one and that great too, but there was something about how . . . Well, _normal_ the subject of Zeb's lessons were that made them special. It made him feel like a normal kid again.

Ezra could only just remember being taught how to read by his father and some simple counting games by his mother. Beyond that the only 'lessons' he'd had came from **that person**, and those had all been about survival. Granted, without those 'lessons' he probably wouldn't be alive right now, but as far as normal lessons, the kind every kid was supposed to get at school? Well. . . No, **that person** hadn't been all that great at those. The one and only time **that person** had even tried to teach him to read it had been:

"_Those squiggles together mean food. Those mean trouble, so stay away. Those over there, those mean we can probably get away with hanging out in that store for a bit._"

Ezra's lips twitched up a bit as he rolled over and started drifting back to sleep. It had been rather amusing to see the shocked look on **that person**'s face when he'd said he knew how to read. Ezra let out a soft sigh. Yeah, as much as he loved Jedi lessons with Kanan and wouldn't trade them for the world, Ezra wouldn't give up lessons with Zeb either. Even if they did leave him with bruises more than anything else.

* * *

"Does Hera know you gamble?"

"It's not 'gambling!' It's playing cards with an added risk."

"'An added risk,'" Ezra repeated, staring at Zeb over the cards in his hand. "Really? That's how you're trying to justify this? Why are we even doing this?"

"If you'd shut up, I could explain!" Zeb snapped.

Ezra rolled his eyes and waved a hand for Zeb to continue.

"Since you, _finally_, know how to do basic math. Well, pathetically–"

"Hey!"

"- I thought this might be a fun way to practice your skills."

Ezra narrowed his eyes at Zeb.

"No," Ezra said slowly. "I think you just wanted to practice after you lost so bad to that guy in the bar."

Zeb smacked Ezra upside the head with a muttered, "shut up, and he cheated!"

"Suuuuurrreeee he did," Ezra smirked. "Now, how do you play this game?"

Zeb explained the rules.

"Ugh! This is stupid," Ezra sighed, glaring at his cards he'd been dealt for their forth game.

"You're just sore 'cause you're loosin,'" Zeb laughed.

"Whatever. All you're winning are rocks anyway."

"Kid, there's no point using credits if all I'm gonna do is win 'em back. It's not like you've got any."

"I have credits," Ezra corrected with a glare. "See?"

Ezra pulled out a few credits and Zeb raised a brow.

"And where did you get them?"

"Do you really want to know?" Ezra asked. Zeb gave him a hard look and Ezra rolled his eyes. "Relax I swiped 'em from an Imp, and trust me he could afford to lose them."

Zeb chuckled. "Alright then, let's make it more interesting."

"I don't know. . ." Ezra trailed off uncertainly.

"Come on, kid, you scared?"

"Fine, you're on!" Ezra threw down his credits, careful to hide his smirk behind the cards in his hand. He'd let Zeb win a few and then, well. . .

Zeb through down his cards with a disgusted growl and Ezra laughed.

"What's that now? 3 games in a row?" Ezra teased as he dragged the small collections of credits over to his growing pile of winnings.

"Beginner's luck," Zeb growled. "I'll win this round."

"Yeah, right," Ezra snorted. "'Cause you've had so much luck."

"One more round!"

"Can you really afford that?"

"Just deal," Zeb grumbled.

Ezra rolled his eyes as he dealt the next round. He supposed he could let Zeb win a few, wouldn't want to be accused of hustling now would he? By the time they finished the last game Zeb had his credits back. Well, most of them anyway.

"Kid," Zeb eyed the almost tender expression on Ezra's face as he caressed, _caressed_, the credits he'd won. "You worry me sometimes."

"Why? Because I understand the value of money?"

"Value?" Zeb repeated with a snort. "You look like you want to go rent a room with it."

Ezra stared blankly at him for a minute before the meaning of Zeb's words caught up with him.

"Hey!"

The rest of the trip back was spent bickering and more than few punches were thrown.

* * *

"'. . . and with one last great victory the esteemed Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and ushered in the wondrous era we live in today.' Done and done, finally!"

Ezra let himself fall back onto the ground as he chucked the datapad off to the side.

"Not bad, kid," Zeb grinned as he picked up the discarded device. "And just in time too. Leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Day after," Ezra corrected, not bothering to move from his spot. "Chopper leaves tomorrow, got to give him a day to get into the Academy's system and make sure it doesn't recognize my face when they scan it."

It had been a huge relief for Ezra when Kana had told him Chopper would be going undercover with him to help out and act as a liaison between Ezra and the crew. It was Chopper's job to splice into databank and prevent any of the software from recognizing him. It was also nice to know a familiar presence was going to be around and helping.

"Come on, kid, daylight's fading."

"I think I'll stay here."

"I wasn't asking." Zeb grabbed Ezra's leg and started dragging him back the ship.

"Oy! I can walk!"

* * *

"Make sure you take care of yourself."

"Keep a low profile."

"I expect you to do well in all your classes, but don't forget to have a little fun too."

"Don't draw attention to yourself."

"Don't get too close to anyone, but try to make friends."

"Absolutely do NOT use the Force."

"I know they're Imperials, but be polite."

"Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."

"Make sure you eat all your vegetables and meat, ok?"

"Absolutely do _NOT_ use the Force!"

"Make sure you get plenty of rest."

"Don't let your guard down, and absolutely_ do NOT _use the Force!"

"Don't forget that if anything happens we're just a com call away, but don't let them see you with a com, ok?"

"Do what you need to do, but _absolutely do __**NOT**__ use the Force_!"

"Um, ok?" Ezra looked between Hera and Kanan a slightly stunned look on his face at the unexpected onslaught. "I should probably be going?"

When nobody said anything Ezra back slowly away, half expecting Hera or Kanan, or both of them to start up again. They didn't and he relaxed a little and turned to go only to be attacked from behind.

Ezra froze rock still as arms wrapped around him and squeezed him against a body only slightly bigger than his and oddly warm and soft.

"Be careful, Ezra, please?" Hera's whispered in his ear.

"Aren't I always?" Ezra replied, returning the hug.

'A hug? I'd forgotten what they felt like.'

"Not really," Kanan corrected, ruffling his hair as Hera let go. "So take care."

"Don't let them kick you out," Zeb grumbled, from his spot leaning against the wall. "I'd like at least a couple days to myself."

"So nice to know you care," Ezra replied dryly. "And you're supposed to be my back up."

"Don't worry, kid," Sabine cut in. "I got your back."

"You can have my front too," Ezra offered.

Sabine rolled her eyes and gave him a small push. "Get going, kid."

"I understand. You don't want me to see you cry." Ezra nodded understandingly.

"In your dreams," Sabine scoffed.

"Always and every night!" Ezra replied cheerfully, before dashing down the ramp with a laugh. "Later guys, see you in a few weeks!"

Ezra stopped on a hill and gave one last wave, smiling when he saw them all wave back. For one tiny moment he let himself pretend it was his parents, his family, that was waving good bye. Then reality returned and it was time to get to work.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Ok, so originally this turned out really angsty and kinda tragic with a lot more Zeb and Ezra bonding, but that wasn't really what I wanted. I wanted funny and light hearted, so this is how it turned out. Hope you readers like it!

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

~ to RedtailHawk19: Thank you! You have such wonderfully enthusiastic reviews and I love reading them! I'm glad you liked the lessons, truthfully I had a hard time with them. They kept turning out all mushy with a lot of indepth bonding that I didn't want to add just yet. So I'm really glad you liked it. As for Ezra's love of money. . .It just made sense to me, plus it made me laugh every time I imagined it.

~ to Guest1: I'm glad I made you laugh. It's nice to know others appreciate my sometimes twisted sense of humor.


	19. The Academy

**The Academy**

* * *

Ezra Bridger stared at his reflection. Dev Morgan stared back. Ezra ran a hand through his recently cut and much shorter hair. Dev grimaced as he fingered the ends of his blue-black hair. Ezra ran his hands down his front, smoothing out the wrinkles and marveling at the fact that the clothes he was wearing were actually his size. Dev's eye twitched as he took in the pristine white and grey uniform. Ezra shifted uncomfortably, pausing at the sound of creaking leather and wiggled his toes inside shoes that had yet to mold to his feet and weren't too small, falling apart, and so thin he didn't know why he even bothered wearing them. Dev looked down at his feet with a bemused and uncertain smile. Ezra took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Dev opened his eyes and closed the locker door. Ezra Bridger stayed in the mirror. Dev Morgan joined the line of other prospective recruits to begin the three week long process designed to ensure only the best 8 out of the 14 hopefuls were kept.

Dev eyed the man in charge of their 'assessment.' Taskmaster Grint was huge and looked perfectly capable of breaking everyone around him in half and then eating them. Dev idly wondered if that was how the man had gotten so. . . big. Then Grint spoke and it was actually quite unnerving how coherent and intelligent the man sounded as he didn't look capable of doing more than grunting. Dev didn't have time to do much more the gape at the large man before their assessment began.

* * *

Four laps around the Academy followed by a made race through an obstacle course Dev was sure was a reject from the Imperial's stock room of torture equipment. Panting heavily and cursing every way he knew, Dev forced himself to stay upright as he waited for the other boys to finish.

"Impressive time, Morgan."

"Thank you, sir," Dev gasped out, somehow managing to find the energy for a sloppy salute and resisting the urge to tell the man exactly how it was he was able to do so well. Dev didn't think Grint would appreciate being told he'd learned and honed those skills on the streets.

"Finally. . .done!" A red haired boy gasped, collapsing face first onto the ground. "I don't. . .know. . .how. .you do it, . .Morgan."

"Well, Kell, it's easy really," Dev replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. "If you're as awesome as I am."

Kell grunted something unintelligible and Dev snickered.

"Come on, Kell, get up," Dev ordered, nudging his fellow cadet with his foot. "Don't want to be late for your first helping of slop, do you?"

Kell groaned and flopped a hand in Dev's direction. Laughing, Dev grabbed it and hauled him up.

"I'll get you tomorrow," the redhead promised.

"Right," Dev snorted, pushing the other boy into his place in line. "You just keep telling yourself that."

* * *

Dev lowered the blaster rifle and removed the empty clip.

"Ah, kriff, Morgan! You have to be good at this too?"

Dev glanced at Kell, the red head who seemed to have made it his mission to beat Dev at something, and then at the target. The shots were all over the place and he'd missed completely several times, but he was still the best shot so far.

"Well, Kell," Dev smirked when Kell scowled at the rhyming words. "Like I said before, I'm just awesome."

Kell rolled his eyes. "Ya know, some day you're gonna come across something you're not instantly good at and that'll be the day I finally beat you."

"Maybe, but today's not that day," Dev called as he walked away, ignoring the splutters behind him.

Dev hung the blaster back up in the racks and glanced at the one eyed man who was supposed to be teaching them. Though, if simply shoving blasters into kid's hands and telling them to shoot at targets was how stormtroopers were taught, it wasn't all that surprising their aims were terrible.

* * *

"Worthless, terrible, dreadful, I've met carrier droids with more brains than you pathetic. . ."

Dev tuned out his 'teacher's' rant. While it had been intimidating the first few days, by now he was used to it and all the man's speech meant was that the hours of mental torture were almost over. Privately, Dev was relieved that he didn't seem to be doing any worse than the other boys. Sure his reading speed was slower, but he comprehended what was said faster and his memory was excellent.

Dev drummed his fingers on his desk waiting for the man to finish trying to make them feel dumber than rocks and his eyes roved over the left over notes on the holoprojector. While Dev didn't care about learning the ins and outs of the Empire's hierarchy, he did enjoy the lessons on data encryption and was trying his best to learn how to speak Binary.

There was a barely audible sigh to his right and Dev looked over to see Kell looking just as enthralled by their teacher's words as he was. Catching Kell's eye, Dev pulled a face and mimed being shot in the head. Kell smirked and mouthed back that he'd shoot if Dev did. Dev snickered and flicked a spare bolt across their shared desk. Thus began a highly intense and competitive game.

* * *

"Hey, Morgan!"

Dev twitched.

"Don't call me that!" He should be used to it by now, but every time Kell shouted 'Morgan!' it irritated him.

"What?" Kell looked at him, puzzled.

"Call me 'Dev.'" It was funny and a bit frightening how much he wanted to say a different name.

"Only of you call me 'Jai.'"

"Deal. Now what did you want?"

"I have a theory–"

"Another one?" Dev groaned. "Jai, give it up, 'cause trust me, you do _not_ want to know what it they make the food out of."

"_You_ might not care, but I do," Jai shot back. "Anyway, have you noticed how there are no bugs, and I mean not even a spider, around here? My theory is. . ."

While Jai rambled on about his new theory of what exactly it was they were being fed, Dev smiled. It might not be the name he wanted to be called, but there was something nice about it. It was almost like having a friend.

* * *

Jai flopped face first onto his bunk with a muffled groan.

"Ah, is coming in second place wearing you out?" Dev asked mockingly as he opened his locker.

"Shut up," Jai muttered, blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes so he could glare at Dev. "I'll get you tomorrow."

"Suuure ya will," Dev drawled, pulling out a clean uniform. "Well, I'm off to the showers."

"Again?" Jai's question came out muffled as he'd reburied his face in his pillow.

"Force forbid I take a shower a day," Dev muttered before turning to face his friend and giving an exaggerated sniff in Jai's direction. "Wouldn't hurt you to hit the showers either, now that they're actually giving us time for them."

Jai chucked a discarded boot at him and Dev laughed as he ducked into the locker room.

"I'm keeping boot!" Dev shouted as he shut the door, cutting off whatever it was Jai had shouted back to him.

Dev Morgan sighed as he stepped under the water and closed his eyes.

Ezra Bridger opened his. Ezra had been shadowing 'Dev' since day one, lurking in the back of his mind, cataloging each and everything Dev saw and heard, but this was the first time he was able to come out. Pushing back part of his personality was a useful trick Ezra had picked up years ago and had been perfected with the meditation Kanan had taught him. Though, Ezra didn't think that was what Kanan had wanted him to get out of the lessons, it was a useful skill especially for mission like this as it allowed him to be mostly himself but with less risk of letting something slip.

It wasn't fool proof as Ezra couldn't keep up the façade for long, it was after all unnatural and unhealthy to suppress a part of yourself, but that was what moments like this were for. In the showers people tended to be left alone so he could think freely, which was a relief since it was the first time since his arrival that Ezra had time to do so. Ezra couldn't help a snort as he thought about the past few weeks.

It had been three weeks of physical and mental punishment that had left Dev, and the other boys too by the sound of it, with an aching body and a brain that felt like it was made of mush. Three weeks of getting up before the sun to run laps around the Academy only to come back and race through a grueling obstacle course before being hosed off, sometimes literally, and made to eat. . . Well, Dev wasn't really sure he wanted to know what he was eating, but it was edible and he'd had worse so what did it matter?

After breakfast came testing: basic math, history of the Empire, mechanics, and hours of being made to feel dumber than a rock. Then another plate of . . . stuff was thrust at them. Lunch was followed by a march to a mock shooting range where Grint and a one eyed man with a grand total of 4 and half fingers took great pleasure in detailing exactly how much damage a blaster could cause.

The first day on the range had included pictures and three cadets had thrown up, including the one standing next to Dev who just rolled his eyes; he'd seen it all and more back when he'd been Ezra the street rat. The two Imperials had just laughed and handed them blaster rifles, telling them to try and hit the targets. Only Dev and four other boys managed to hit the body shaped targets by the end of the first day.

Once they were done blowing up the shooting range, the cadets were marched back into the 'class room' and given actually lessons on what duties they were expected to perform. Lessons ended with a stampeded to the dining hall for the day's final helping of questionable substance, followed by more laps around the Academy and another run through the obstacle course, and the day was over.

By the end of the third day everybody had learned to sleep in their uniforms as they were expected to be dressed, outside, and information within a minute of wake up call. Whether or not the uniforms they fell asleep in were _clean_ was different matter, though if someone smelled to badly the officers took great delight in pointing it out a handing out punishments.

The end of the first week saw two boys dropping out and a third kicked out after he'd broken his leg on the obstacle course.

Second week ended with two more boys gone and Dev having found a good natured rival in a boy named Jai Kell.

Before the final week of their assessment was over Jai and Dev's rivalry had morphed into a competitive friendship around the same time. The sixth boy left leaving the required eight to officially become cadets and that was when the colored helmets were handed out; red, blue, green, and gold.

Ezra frowned at the shower wall as he thought about the red markings decorating his previously white helmet. While all cadets were given helmets as part of their uniforms, none of them had been given any identifying colors until after the assessment. Turned out all the testing had been for more than just narrowing down the numbers, but also to see who had an aptitude for what. The markings also served to show the top four, a badge of honor in a way.

The red markings on Ezra's or rather Dev's helmet meant he had all the traits of land commander or TIE fighter pilot. When he'd received the newly marked helmet and had been told what it meant, it taken everything he had not to outright laugh at the irony. Of course he'd be good at fighting on the ground, though he doubted the leadership aspects, he'd been doing it most of his life. As for being a TIE pilot? Well, he'd have to tell Hera, maybe then she'd consider teaching him some of her moves.

The blue markings Jai had gotten slated him for diplomacy and support which Ezra had to admit fit his friend perfectly. Jai was great at lightening the mood and helping everyone relax after a day of physical and mental abuse, and when it came to hand to hand combat training Jai excelled at taking advantage of opportunities created by others rather than making his own.

The gold markings signified a talent for logistics and tactics, and there were whispers that those that received them were recruited into Imperial Security Bureau. Ezra had been worried when he'd heard that, he knew Kallus had an office in the building but it was on the upper levels well away from where the cadets lived and trained and he hadn't been expecting I.S.B. agent to come inspect new recruits. Kallus hadn't showed up, at least not yet, but Ezra was still nervous and made sure never to take his helmet off unless he absolutely had to.

He also kept an eye on the Zare Leonis, the boy who'd received the gold markings. Even if he hadn't gotten the gold markings Ezra would have kept an eye on Leonis. He'd seen the look in the dark skinned boy's eye and recognized it. It was the look of someone who had learned not to trust, learned to be suspicious, but of what or who or why Ezra couldn't tell. Though of all the people he associated with at the Academy, Leonis looked the most likely to figure out that 'Dev' wasn't real.

And if Leonis didn't Oleg would just out of spite. From day one when Dev had placed first in almost every challenge with Jai bouncing between second and third, Mott Oleg had done everything he could to discredit them and one up them and anyone else who beat him. Dev let a little more of his Ezra side out when dealing with the brat and took, maybe too much, pleasure in one upping him. Given Oleg's personality it wasn't really a shock when he was given the green markings which signified his chances of working as an officer on a star destroyer. Having been 'introduced' to a couple during his stay as Kallus's prisoner, Ezra could easily say Oleg would fit in just fine with the other stuck up selohssa.

Ezra sighed and left the showers, clean and fully clothed. Jai was already fast asleep, still face down on his pillow.

"One of these day," Ezra muttered as he poked Jai in the side until he rolled over, "I'm gonna leave you like that and let you suffocate."

Jai snorted in his sleep and Ezra rolled his eyes before climbing onto the bunk above his friend.

"Three weeks, four days down," Ezra mumbled into his pillow. "Force only knows how many more."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I'm not exactly sure how long Ezra was at the Academy, from what Kanan said at least a couple weeks, but I'm thinking more like 2 months which is what my mental timeline is working on incase any one else is curious or confused. Also if anyone knows why exactly the helmets are color coded let me know, what I wrote is just a guess that made sense to me.

**Comments to Your reviews:**

( to be filled in after receiving such illustrious gifts )


	20. Breaking Ranks: A Kidred Spirit

**Pre-story A/N: **So sorry for the long delay, life and writer's block got in the way. Hope this was worth the wait! Others following as soon as I finish editing. Oh, see the author's note below for an apology surprise!

**Breaking Ranks: A Kindred Spirit**

* * *

". . . and halt!"

Commandant Aresko glanced in the direction of Grint's gravelly voice and his already thin lips thinned further as he took in the group standing in front of him.

"Squad LRC 077 for your inspection, sir!"

Biting back a sneer, Aresko stopped his pacing and stared down his nose at the squad.

"Cadets," he began, making sure his words came out sharp and clear. "You entered this facility as children, and in a few short weeks you will leave as soldiers."

'Child soldiers,' Aresko added silently.

"By the time you complete your training, you will be prepared to serve you Emperor. Today, we will test your strength and resolve. Are you ready to become stormtrooper?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" The cadets chorused.

"At ease," Aresko ordered dismissively. Children were so easily manipulated and eager to please.

* * *

Dev lifted the helmet off his head and stared at his reflection in the visor.

'How much longer?'

After six weeks it was getting harder and harder not give in. Though to which side he wasn't sure. 'Dev' had a safe place to sleep, didn't need to worry about food, and had a life all planned out. And friends! 'Ezra'. . . 'Ezra' had a bunch of "what ifs" and "maybes."

"Dev. . .Dev. . .Hey, Dev!"

A hand landed on his shoulders and Dev jumped.

"Dev Morgan you in there?"

"Oh, yeah," Dev chuckled, nervously. "Dev Morgan's in here all right. Th-that's me."

Dev stared at the helmet, fingers idly tracing the red markings. It would be easy, _so easy_, to become 'Dev' completely.

"Wow. You must really be feeling the pressure," Jai laughed, but with a note of genuine concern.

"Sorry, Jai. Who's under pressure?" Dev asked, elbowing his friend in the side. "Not the guy who's won _every_ assessment."

"Yeah." Jai shoved back. "But today I taste victory."

"You said that yesterday," Dev reminded him. "And went hungry."

Jai rolled his eyes and gave Dev a push. Dev elbowed him in the ribs, stumbling a bit when the floor moved.

"Cadets," Aresko called, voice getting fainter as the floor continued to lower. "You are descending into the Well and must climb out with all deliberate speed. The quickest will be given the honor of serving as aides in Imperial headquarters."

'Finally!' Ezra's hands tightened on the helmet. 'I win and this whole thing ends. . .One way or another.'

Out of the corner of his eye Ezra could see Leonis tensing as well and frowned. The dark skinned boy took everything seriously, as if it was another step forward, but to what?

"I'm taking that prize," Jai announced with a smirk.

"Not today, Kell," Oleg muttered darkly, shoving the red hard enough to make him stumble.

"Back off, Oleg," Dev warned, pushing the boy away from Jai.

"You too, Morgan," Oleg hissed. "You're both going down."

"Actually, we're going up," Dev corrected snidely.

Oleg snarled and launched himself at Dev, who side stepped and kicked Oleg's feet out from under him.

"The assessment begins in 4," Grint's rough voice echoed down to them. "3, 2–"

"How exactly _are_ we going up?" Jai asked, sliding his helmet back on.

Dev shrugged as he copied him. There was a series of muffled beeps and the grid pattern of the Well came alive, platforms popping out of the walls and floor.

"There's your answer, Jai." Dev patted his friend on the shoulder before sprinting off, jumping onto a platform, and leapfrogging his way up.

"See you at the top!" Dev hollered down, using the beams on the bottom of a platform to swing to a new landing.

"Yes, you will," Jai yelled, scrambling after him. "From below!"

Dev laughed as he rode his way across the Well, leaping from platform to platform.

"Failure is not acceptable." Dev flicked his eyes to where Aresko and Grint were watching. "This Empire has no use for weakness."

'Then why are you here?' Ezra sneered from the back of his head. With a quick shake, Dev pushed back that part of him and focused on the task at hand.

A cry from below caught his attention and Dev glanced down to see someone get shocked off a platform. A soft whisper sounded in the back of his mind and Dev jumped, half a second before the platform he was on crackled and sparked. No sooner had he landed did the whisper sound again and Dev jumped, electricity chasing him as he leaped from place to place. Four platforms later the shocks subsided and Dev paused to catch his breath.

"Morgan, how do you do it?" Jai shouted up to him, dangling from the underside of the platform. "It's like you know the platforms are coming before they're there!"

"What can I say?" Dev shrugged, following the pull up the wall. Gravity tugged at him but the panels of the wall slid out and Dev climbed them like a ladder. "It's a gift."

'Called the Force,' Ezra added silently, reveling in the feeling. Sure, Kanan had said not to use it, but that didn't mean he could _listen_ to it.

Dev pulled Jai up next to him. A quick jump to avoid Oleg and the two clambered out of the Well.

"First again," Dev smirked.

"Yeah, well," Jai tugged off his helmet. "I'll get you tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday too," Dev reminded with a smirk.

"Quite a finish, cadets," Aresko's reedy voice complimented. "It seems this trial was too easy. Morgan, Kell, you both set course recorders with Leonis matching the previous. You three are today's winners, but rest assured, your next trial will be a great challenge. Follow!"

Dev glanced at Jai, who grinned at him and fell into step behind Aresko.

* * *

Zare Leonis kept his eye on Morgan as he trailed behind Kell. There was something _odd_ about the blue eyed boy. Morgan was good, _too good_, and he seemed to know things he shouldn't. There were times it almost seemed Morgan could read his mind, something Zare found distinctly unsettling. At first Zare had been worried Morgan would figure him out and then turn him in, but Morgan hadn't and Zare had begun to suspect that was because Morgan was hiding something too.

A droid rolled by, top turning to take in the cadets – No, to take in _Morgan_, and chirped lowly.

That settled it; ridiculously good at all their challenges, top of their 'class,' and now consulting with droids? Something _was_ up with Morgan, but what? Was he a plant? A spy? Or something else?

Zare's lips thinned. He needed to know what happened to his sister; if Morgan was going to be a threat to that plan, Zare needed to know. He needed a way to force Morgan's hand.

Zare jerked to attention in time to accept the stack of datapads Aresko thrust at him and noticed his route paralleled Morgan's. Zare nodded to himself, this would be a perfect opportunity to spy on Morgan.

Zare kept one eye on Morgan's route as he ran his own. For a while Morgan did nothing unusual, simply handed out datapads and ran the occasional errand, then he disappeared into an office. An I.S.B. agent's office that Morgan had no business being in.

Zare smiled grimly behind his helmet and quickly delivered the last few datapads before making his way to confront Morgan. Zare had only just reached the door when it slid open. Zare's eyes narrowed as Morgan jerked in surprise, worry flashing across his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zare demanded, he never was one to beat around the bush.

Morgan's surprise changed swiftly to stubborn suspicion and the two boys tried to stare each other down. Zare tensed at the sound of footsteps and pushed Morgan farther into the room, the door sliding shut behind him.

"Last chance, Morgan," Zare warned, removing his helmet. "What are you doing?"

* * *

"That's what I should be asking _you_," Ezra, and he was all Ezra right now as thieving and lying were things best left to street rats, retorted.

Leonis leveled him a look.

'Karabast!' Ezra cursed as the other boy's eyes dropped to his helmet and the decoder nestled inside. 'Knew I should have hidden that somewhere else.'

"So it's something like this," Leonis muttered.

"It's not what you think," Ezra said quickly, dodging out of reach as Leonis made to grab the decoder.

"I think," Leonis said slowly. "That device has a built in sensor, which would trigger that."

Ezra followed Leonis's finger to a small device hidden above the door and winced.

'I really _have_ gotten sloppy,' Ezra frowned, he'd need to brush up on his skills and soon.

"You try walking with that thing," Leonis continued, unaware of Ezra's internal mutterings, "and this whole facility goes on lockdown."

Ezra grimaced and replaced the decoder. If he was alone he'd just escape through the ceiling, but Ezra didn't know what Leonis was up to and couldn't risk getting caught.

"Why are you helping me?" Ezra asked, pinning Leonis in place with a hard look.

"You really want to discuss this here and now?"

"Mmm, not so much," Ezra responded flippantly, lips quirking at Leonis's dry tone and followed the other boy out of Kallus's office.

Slipping on his helmet Ezra became Dev again and finished his rounds, only taking a small break to help an old droid realign its treading.

"It's a bit complicated, but it should hold out until tomorrow," Dev told the droid, which grumbled unhappily as it left.

The droid just knew those other organisms it worked with weren't going to be happy.

* * *

The sounds of snores and gentle breathing were oddly nerve wracking as Ezra caught Leonis's eye and nodded. Leonis leapt from his bunk and headed for the door. Ezra rolled his eyes.

'Amateurs,' he scoffed and cleared his throat.

Leonis glanced back at him and Ezra shook his head, gesturing for him to follow.

"This isn't exactly a safe place to talk," Leonis whispered as he followed Ezra into the bathroom.

"We're not talking _here_," Ezra whispered back, climbing onto one of the low walls dividing the showers and gently lifting the vent aside. "But cadets making a midnight run to the bathroom are less suspicious and more easily explainable than being caught wandering the halls. Now come on!"

Ezra scrambled into the ventilation and after a moment's hesitation, Leonis followed.

"Ugh," Leonis gagged. "This is disgusting!"

"Sh!" Ezra hissed. "People will hear you and stop banging you feet, you'll get us caught! Roll your weight forward onto your arms, and point your toes up so they don't scrape."

Scowling Leonis did as he was told and was surprised how much quieter things became.

"Better," Leonis heard the other boy mutter. "But still too loud."

Leonis scowled but before he could comment he was forced to a stop.

"Do what I do," Ezra whispered, opening up another hatch. Ezra wiggled forward over the opening until his feet were dangling out before lowering himself down and dropping silently onto a crate.

Leonis copied him, though with far less grace, and idly wondered if this was how the other boy had gotten so good at running through the obstacle course.

"The storage room?" Leonis asked quietly, taking in the supplies lining the walls and shelves.

"It's locked from curfew 'til morning," Ezra explained. "And if anybody tries to get in, it'll take them a few minutes to unlock it. Enough time for us to escape."

"Who are you?" Leonis asked, eyeing Ezra suspiciously. "And what do you need that decoder for?"

"My. . .friends need it to stop an Imperial shipment." Ezra answered, ignoring the first question and asking his own. "How'd you know about the sensors?"

"My sister, Dhara. She was the star cadet in this place," Leonis explained. "She knew the entire Imperial complex backwards and forwards."

There was a note of pride in Leonis's voice as spoke, but Ezra could sense the pain and longing behind the words.

"What happened to her?"

"Well, _they _told us she ran off, but I don't believe it." Leonis grimaced, anger flashing in his eyes as he paced their small corner.

"They took my parents," Ezra said quietly. "They didn't bother with lies."

A silent understanding past between the two boys.

"So," Leonis leaned against a crate next to Ezra. "You're alone then?"

"Not anymore," Ezra corrected with a rueful smile.

"Ah," Leonis grunted. "Those 'friends' you mentioned?"

Ezra nodded.

"You ever. . ." Leonis trailed off uncomfortably and Ezra shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Ezra shrugged and looked away.

"So," Leonis coughed, breaking the grim silence between them. "What were you doing breaking into Kallus's office? That's a great way to get shot."

"Long story, but I _need_ that decoder." Ezra met Leonis's eye. "And I could use a partner that knows his way around."

"What's in it for me?"

"Do you _really_ need a reason to mess with the Empire?"

"No," Leonis smirked. "I don't."

The two boys traded grins as they shook hands.

"Good. Now," Ezra began, rubbing his hands together conspiratorially. "We have to finish in the top three tomorrow if we're gonna get back inside Imperial H.Q."

"Then let's do it," Leonis said firmly. Finally it felt like he was doing something, getting a step closer to finding out what happened to his sister. "I'm Zare. Zare Leonis, and you're Dev, right?"

"Yeah," Ezra said slowly.

_"Trust is a tricky thing_," a voice in the back of his head that sounded uncomfortably like a mix of Kanan and **that person** whispered. "_You have to give as much as you take_."

"For now."

"For now?" Zare repeated.

"Dev Morgan is an Imperial. My friends and I," Ezra licked his lips and nervously ran a hand through his hair, "aren't."

"So who are you?" Zare asked, crossing his arms. Ezra shook his head.

"I'll tell you after we get the decoder. Don't want any slip ups."

"Fair enough," Zare conceded with a slow nod.

Ezra felt a small weight lift from his shoulders and smiled as he led the way back to their barrack.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Ok, got a little angsty there, but in all honesty I felt Zare's character had so much unused potential! That and Zare and Ezra seem to have a lot in common and I wanted to explore that a bit. I also thought it was kind of pointless for Ezra to keep pretending to be 'Dev' but then go and tell Zare he was getting Jedi training which is a much bigger secret than his real name.

**Anyway onto my surprise!**

I'm going to do 2 'mini-stories'. 1 to celebrate what I hope will soon be 100 reviews, and the other to apologize for making everyone wait so long. The poll will have a total of 4 (possibly 5) choices, two of which I'm hoping to get from you guys. If you have a suggestion/idea pm me or leave it as a review and I'll select either the most popular or interesting one and add it to the poll which will be going up on Monday and staying up for a week.


	21. Breaking Ranks: Complications

**Breaking Ranks: Complications**

* * *

After the late night conversation it was harder than it should have been to become 'Dev' again. Everything felt. . ._wrong_; the clothes were too tight, the helmet was suffocating, and even the air tasted sour.

'I can't – I can't do this anymore,' Ezra realized. 'Now that I know it's almost over, all I can think about is leaving.'

Ezra's hands tightened on the blaster he'd been given, his stomach rolling uncomfortably as the floor once again lowered the cadets into the Well.

"Today's assessment will be a little more challenging," Aresko informed them from above. "You will need to shoot the targets to activate the panels necessary to climb out."

"Three," Grint shouted and Ezra readied his blaster. "Two, one!"

The sound of blaster fire filled the Well and Ezra raced through the beams of red light, firing and climbing as he went. He was half way up when Jai leapt onto the platform he was riding, stumbling slightly. Ezra steadied him and glanced around for Zare, spotting him about 10 feet below.

"I'm not gonna make it!" Zare shouted up to him.

Ezra cursed under his breath as he assessed the situation. Currently, he and Jai were slated for first and second place, with Olge right behind him. Ezra glanced at Jai. The easiest solution would be to push Jai off, buying Zare the time he needed to come in third, but. . .

"_The last thing you want to do is __**give**__ someone a reason not to trust you. Trust, even a little, is a hard thing to get. Don't __kcuf__ it up, especially for something stupid! If ya gotta stab someone in the back, might as well do it to someone who already hates ya_."

Ezra raised his blaster; **that person** might not have known how to read or write or count, but they had rarely been wrong about people. Ezra fired a couple shots, causing Oleg and a couple other boys for good measure, to fall and giving Zare the chance to catch up to him and Jai.

"Morgan, Kell, and Leonis again. How," Aresko eyed the three boys coldly. "_Interesting_."

Ezra swallowed nervously, relieved when Aresko turned to address the other boys.

"Cadets, follow Morgan's example. The only thing that matters is victory. Victory at any cost," Aresko told them icily. "Tomorrow's final trial will push all of you to your limits. The reward for success will be a training session aboard an Imperial walked."

"Why'd you help Leonis?" Jai asked quietly as they once more followed Aresko into the Imperial headquarters.

"Would you have rather Oleg come with us?" Ezra whispered back.

"Well," Jai grimaced. "_No_. But!"

"I like him," Ezra said with a shrug, catching Zare's eye.

Zare rolled his eyes, but nodded his thanks.

"'Sides," Ezra continued, slinging an arm around Jai's shoulders. "I would have done the same for you."

Jai shoved him off with a laugh.

* * *

Ezra and Zare kept an eye on Kallus's office as they ran their rounds, occasionally passing each other to verify that _no_, Kallus was still in his office, but no chance to talk as they ran errands and delivered messages. It was getting late in the day before they had a chance to meet up.

"He's still in there," Zare muttered, annoyed.

"Then I guess we'll just have to get him out." Ezra drummed his fingers on his arm thinking. "Ok. How good's your acting?"

"I take it you have a plan?"

"Most of one," Ezra answered, still thinking.

"I really don't want to get shot," Zare said voice calm, but the way he was clenching and unclenching his fists showed how nervous he was.

"Relax. The only thing you need to do is keep Kallus busy for about two minutes," Ezra explained. "You _can_ hold a conversation, right?"

"And what," Zare crossed his arms. "Am I supposed to talk to him about?"

The door across from Kallus's opened and a woman walked out, leaving the room empty.

"Use your imagination," Ezra whispered, striding past Zare and into the recently emptied room.

"Gee, thanks. That helps _so_ much," Zare muttered sarcastically, following Ezra into the room and double checking the room was free of sensors.

"You're welcome," Ezra replied as climbed onto the desk.

"How are you going to reach anything from up there?" Zare asked, pulling a face as he eyed the vent. He did not envy Morgan's part if it involved go back into a filthy, smelly vent.

"I have my ways," Ezra grunted, voice muffling as he pulling himself up. "Just keep your eyes on Kallus and don't react to anything you see, 'k?"

'What does that mean?' Zare frowned at the ceiling. "Ah, sure?"

Ezra crawled his way over to Kallus's office and slowly lifted the hatch. Below him Kallus's head bobbed as the man worked. A chime sounded and Kallus glanced at the door.

"Come."

Ezra couldn't see it from where he was at but he could hear the door open.

"Sir, your pod racer parts have been delivered," Zare's voice announced. "If you'll sign here I'll bring them up."

'Pod racers parts? Really?' Ezra hung his head. While he was admittedly impressed with Zare's calm, everyday tone, the choice in topic left a lot to be desired. But it _did_ get Kallus up and away from his desk.

Ezra took a deep breath, reaching out for the Force. It came easily, as if it had been waiting for him and Ezra filled his mind with the need to get the decoder. The Force responded, extending like a long, flexible wire and gently pulling the decoder out into the open. Ezra curled his fingers, coaxing the decoder closer, and it bobbed its way toward him in a lazy sort of way.

'I really need to practice moving things faster,' Ezra sighed, as he snatched the decoder out of the air and shut the hatch. Ezra slipped the decoder into his boot and let go of the Force, taking a moment to adjust to the sudden loss.

Though no longer directly connected to the Force, Ezra was still acutely aware of it, which is why what should have been a whisper to stop and listen came across as a panic inducing shout.

Ezra froze, heart racing as he strained his ears for a sign he'd been caught. Instead of pursuers he heard Aresko's muffled voice coming from below. Pulling off his helmet, Ezra pressed an ear to against the hatch below him.

". . .assessments have proven quite illuminating. I believe we've identified two cadets, Morgan and Kell, that meet your 'special' criteria, Inquisitor."

'Inquisitor?!'

"_Excellent, Commandant_." The smooth drawl sent chills down Ezra's spine. "_Tomorrow, I will arrive on Lothal to test them myself. If the tests are conclusive, I will take them into custody_."

'The lleh you will!' Ezra thought, jamming his helmet back on and fleeing as fast as he could. He needed to find Chopper and fast, and then he needed to talk to Jai.

Things just got a lot more complicated.

* * *

Unable to talk tell Zare what happened or talk to Jai and with the threat of the Inquisitor hanging over his head, Ezra was tense and fidgety throughout the rest of the day. It was late again when Ezra finally had a chance to give Zare a hurried explanation.

"Get Kell. I'll meet you in the storage room," Zare said and jumped off his bunk, frowning fiercely.

Ezra shook Jai awake.

"Wh–Dev? Mmp?!"

"Shh!" Ezra hissed, hastily clamping a hand over Jai's mouth. "Stay quiet and follow me. Please."

Jai looked at him, confused and curious, but followed Ezra to the storage room.

One long explanation and half a dozen questions from Zare and Jai later, and Ezra was beginning to wish he'd decided to just trick the two into leaving with him.

"Look, you need to leave with us tomorrow, ok?"

Jai hesitated, chewing a corner of his lip as he thought.

"No," he said slowly, shaking his head. "No, I'm sorry. I _can't_ just walk away from everything like this. Look, Dev, I trust you and all, but–"

"Kell, you got a family?" Zare asked before Ezra's patience finally snapped.

"Uh," Jai stuttered, thrown by the unexpected question. "It's just me and my mother."

"And how would she feel if she never saw you again?" Zare pushed himself off the wall and stalked over to Jai. "My sister disappeared from this place, and I'm betting it was the Inquisitor that took her away. So unless you want to say bye to Mom forever. . ."

"Ok," Jai whispered hoarsely. "I'll come. What's the plan?"

"Simple," Ezra said, relieved at Jai's answer. "The three of us have to win tomorrow's challenge."

"Not so simple," Zare corrected flatly.

"How's that gonna get us out of here?"

"Because it gets us inside that walker," Ezra explained. "Now, here's the plan."

The three boys put their heads together, ironing out the final details.

* * *

Zeb glared at the large building looming over them, ears twitched at every little sound. Across from him Sabine sighed, fingers twitching impatiently.

"Finally," Zeb muttered as the distinctive clanking and whirring noise that was Chopper reached his ears. A few minutes later Chopper rolled around the corner. "Did you get the divice?"

Chopper grumbled softly and spat out the decoder.

"Good. Where's Ezra?" Zeb asked, looking around for the runt. Chopper grunted a reply.

"_What_?" Sabine exclaimed. "What do you mean he went back to the Academy?"

Zeb groaned, frustration and worry gnawing at him. 'What could possibly drive the kid _back_ to Academy?'

His answer came in the form of a mini, holographic Ezra.

"_Guys, I know you're expecting me, but I have to stay at the Academy_." The explanation came in a hurried whisper, with holographic Ezra spending more time looking around than at the camera. "_It's Jai Kell, a fellow cadet, he'll get scooped up by the Inquisitor if I don't help him_."

"Wait. The Inquisitor?" Zeb repeated, frowning. 'Pale face, bald, lightsaber wielding? _That _Inquisitor?' "Is Ezra out of his–"

"_You probably think I've lost my mind_." Holo-Ezra sniffed, nose crinkling in annoyance, before giving them a lazy smile. "_If I have, well, clearly I've spent way too long with you 'heroes.' Anyway, get to decoding, and if you're not too busy, attack the Academy tomorrow at noon. I could use the diversion. Spectre-6 out_."

"Karabast," Zeb swore, scratching the back of his head.

"Kanan's gonna love this," Sabine agreed. "Play you, loser has to tell him?"

"Done."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Again, the changes should be pretty straight forward. I personally thought Ezra pushing Jai off was not only stupid, but a d*** move. He had a gun, why didn't he just shoot the competition? Ok, drama I get it, still stupid.

Zare's pod racer excuse was either brilliant or stupid, jury's still out on that one which is why I left it in but made a few comments about it.

The rest is pretty much the same, and I tried to lighten the mood a bit with Zeb and Sabine, who I imagine are bored out of their minds at this point.


	22. Padawan

**Padawan**

**(1st half of Breaking Ranks****from Kanan's POV)**

* * *

Kanan drummed his fingers on the chairs armrest. It was almost time for Sabine to report in and the remaining seconds were ticking by slower and slower.

"_Spectre-5 to __**Ghost**_." Kanan leaned forward as Sabine's voice sounded over the comm. "_Looks like the kid passed the first test. He's inside Imperial HQ_."

"Roger, Spectre-5," Hera replied. "_Ghost_ standing by."

Kanan sighed as the cabin fell silent again.

"We've been standing by for weeks," He grumbled. "I'm sick of this."

"You're worried about Ezra," Hera clarified, a smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't surprised Kanan's patience was beginning to snap. In fact, she was rather relieved. Maybe now he would be able to vent and relax.

"I'm not worried about the kid. I'm worried about the op."

'Or not,' Hera sighed.

"What were we thinking, putting him undercover like that?" Kanan sighed, trying to ignore the small voice reminding him of all the ways things could go wrong.

"What were _we_ thinking?" Hera repeated. "This was _your_ idea!"

"He's just not ready," Kanan continued, ignoring her. "And if he gets caught–"

"He hasn't gotten caught yet," Hera reminded him. How many times had they had this discussion?

"The minutes he gets that decoder, Zeb yanks him out of there," Kanan said decisively.

"Uh, that's the plan." Hera rolled her eyes, exasperation and irritation easily hiding her own worries.

"I should have done this myself," Kanan muttered.

"Oh, yeah. You'd make quite a cadet," Hera agreed dryly, though the thought of Kanan trying _was_ rather amusing.

Kanan huffed silently and returned to staring moodily out the window.

Hera sighed. She wished Kanan would just admit he was worried and get over it. His constant anxiety wasn't doing anything to sooth her own worries.

* * *

'Day's almost over,' Kanan thought, eyeing the clock on the dash. 'Zeb and Sabine should be collecting the kid soon.'

"_Spectre-5 to __**Ghost**_."

'Finally!'

"_Something went wrong. The kid didn't get the decoder and he didn't come out_." Sabine's voice sounded anxious and a bit worried, but not as if something horrible had happened so Kanan forced himself to relax.

"Copy that, Spectr-5," Hera answered. "Give him one more day."

"This decoder better be worth it," Kanan muttered, mind racing as he tried to think of possible reasons for Ezra's. . .delay.

'Like he's already preparing for the worst,' Hera thought, lips thinning as she glanced at Kanan, taking in his sullen, heavy look. Time to remind him what was at stake.

"What's the alternative?" She asked quietly. She didn't like putting Ezra at risk either, but this was a _war_. "Do you want to stop that kyber shipment or not? You know what the Empire could do with that crystal."

"Nothing good," Kanan admitted.

"So we give Ezra one more day."

Kanan nodded. One more day. One more day wouldn't hurt. In fact, that was probably a good thing, meant that the kid was being cautious. Kanan's worry spiked. Ezra and cautious did _not_ go together.

* * *

The day passed slowly, every minute seem to take an hour and Kanan's increasing restlessness only worsened. With a sigh of frustration that was more of a groan, Kanan settled himself more firmly.

'Fifth time's the charm,' he thought sarcastically as he began the process of meditation.

Clearing his mind wasn't working, so Kanan sifted through his thoughts, letting the Force guide him to the problem and, hopefully, the solution. Gradually things began to clear and Kanan let out a low breath of relief as he sank deeper into the Force. With the universe expanding before his mind's eye, the links that connected everything swam in focus. One particular thread stood out and Kanan hummed thoughtfully as he followed it down to the source of his increasing tension.

'Ezra,' he recognized. The boy's emotions were a jumbled knot of anxiety, worry, and unease laced with determination and exhaustion. Kanan drew back, thinking.

While the exhaustion and unease were worrisome, there was nothing – no fear or pain – to suggest Ezra had been compromised. Kanan's shoulders relaxed. He had his answer: no, nothing was wrong, though it seemed the boy had found away to test his patience even as far away as he was.

Shaking his head in exasperated relief, Kanan made to rise. He would have to block out Ezra's emotions before they started driving him up the walls again. Kanan was half-way to his feet when the realization of what that meant came crashing down on him.

A connection couldn't be cut unless it existed.

Kanan sat down with a thud.

It had crossed his mind, unbidden and quite frankly unwanted, ever since Hera had first mentioned training Ezra, but to form a bond, to have that kind of connection with someone again. . .

Kanan had barely survived having the bond with his Master broken. If you could call 10 odd years of living off alcohol and adrenaline 'living.' He didn't think he was ready – No, Kanan _knew_ he wasn't ready for another bond of any kind, but there it was. A sad, shallow shadow of the one he'd shared with his Master.

Kanan scrubbed a hand over his face. He honestly couldn't say he surprised. Shocked? Yes. Surprised? No. He'd noticed a difference not long after that failed mission to rescue Master Luminara.

'That discussion afterwards,' Kanan decided. When Ezra had stated he wanted him, _Kanan_, to be his master and Kanan had in turn resolved to fill that role as best he could. That moment when they'd accepted each other had most likely been the start of the bond.

"See, Hera, you were wrong," Kanan chuckled ruefully. "I'm not worried about the kid."

Not the bitter, jaded street-rat that'd survived for years on his own, who'd learned to be a petty thief and con-artist. It was Ezra, the lonely, rough around the edges trouble maker that always managed to lighten the mood, the bright eyed boy that eagerly drank up every stor– er, _lesson_, Kanan gave him.

Kanan rubbed a hand over his face.

"I'm worried about my Padawan."

* * *

'My Padawan.' The words seemed to bounce around him as Kanan went about his business, sometimes overwhelming and other times it was as if they'd always been there.

'Kinda like the kid,' Kanan mused as he fixed himself and Hera some caf.

"You seem calmer," Hera noted, accepting her cup with a small smile and a nod of thanks.

"I am," Kanan agreed, settling himself in the seat next to her.

Hera quirked a brow but didn't ask. She'd known Kanan had gone to meditate so could only conclude his sudden change in behavior had to do with being a Jedi or the Force, and those were things she didn't pretend to understand. That and Hera was preoccupied enjoying the nice, warm cup of caf Kanan had brought her.

A comfortable and familiar silence fell between them and lasted until Sabine's voice sounded over the comm.

"_Spectre-5 to **Ghost**_. _Sending coordinates for Imperial jump route_." Both Kanan and Hera tensed at that, eyeing the display of data. "_If you leave now, you should still be able to intercept_."

"Coordinates received," Hera confirmed, hands gliding over the controls. "We're heading out."

"Good work, Spectre-5," Kanan said, a weight lifting off his chest. They should all be out of any danger now. "And you too, Spectre-6."

"_Uh_," Sabine's voice was definitely nervous this time. "_Spectre-6 isn't with us_."

"What!" The weight smashed back down and Kanan's hands tightened on the arm rests. "Where's Spectre-6? Spectre-5, repeat! _Where is Spectre-6_?"

"Kanan, we're out of range," Hera told him softly. "All we can do now is complete the mission and get back as soon as possible."

Kanan leaned back in his chair, and forced himself to follow Hera's advice. There was nothing he could do right now, not from here, and disregarding or jeopardizing the mission would mean everything Ezra did was for nothing. Kanan shoved aside his worries, and focused on the task at hand. He'd spent the all those weeks coming up with the perfect plan, now he needed to make it faster.

Kanan laced his fingers, mind racing as he thought of way to improve his plan as well as the beginnings of several possible rescue missions. Whether they succeeded or failed, they were going back to Lothal and not leaving until he had his Padawan.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

1st (because I just KNOW somebody's gonna say something) Yes, this was partly inspired by Optimistigue's "Beginning of the Bond." Note the word, 'partly' All I really took from her/his (?) work was the idea to stick all of Kanan's scenes in 1 chapter. Originally, I was going to have them sprinkled throughout the other chapters, but after reading his/her (?) work I rather liked the idea of a chapter dedicated to just Kanan's perspective. There, 2nd disclaimer of sorts. No complaints about this. Please and thank you.

Now onto my stuff! (&amp; doesn't that sound egotistical?)

Boom, a bond! I always felt this episode was a bit of turning point for Ezra and Kanan's "relationship." Ezra finally admitting (out loud) that he wanted to be with the crew, and Kanan actively worrying about Ezra. In the previous shows it always seemed to me that Hera worried/cared more about Ezra than any of the other crew members, and in all the following shows Kanan and Ezra just seemed closer somehow. But that could be my imagination.

**Comments to Your Reviews:**

Ichichi05: Thanks!

Rochana: A familiar face from another work! Great to hear from you again and so glad you're enjoying this (don't hate me, i WILL finish the crossover, promise!)

Princess101855: I'm glad you're intrigued, hope i keep impressing.

Taylor Fireheart: I am, and I will!

Kingdom Hearts Slayer: Your wish is my command (as long as my muse cooperates).

Babyuknowme13: Yay! I'm a pearl among swine! (I laugh every time I read that.)

SoulXmaka4evalove: Comprehensive and flattering? I do believe you've gained yourself a fan.

iloveliterature: YES a cliffhanger! MWahahaha! i am evil. Well, only a little. Hope i can add some depth to other characters too.

heartbreakerninja: Yes, yes. I am/will continuing the story. I just got a little. . .distracted.


	23. Breaking Ranks: Breaking Out

**Pre-story AN:** I am so, so , so, so sorry for making you all wait so long. Suffice to say life decided to see how many curve balls it could throw at me and it's taken me a while to learn how to juggle them all. Anyway, here are the next few chapters, more will be coming and the wait won't be anywhere near so long. Thanks for your patience!

**Breaking Ranks: Breaking Free**

* * *

'Test my true capacity my ssa,' Ezra thought furiously as he jumped to avoid another shot from Oleg. 'This whole nmad thing is rigged!'

Grabbing onto the underside rungs of a platform, Ezra swung himself around in time to catch a short ride up. Above him, Ezra could just make out the sneers on Aresko and Grint's faces as they watched. Ezra glared at them.

Between the increased speed and fewer number of platforms, this challenge was proving harder than the others, but the increased level of difficulty wasn't what had Ezra's temper flaring. It was that they weren't even _trying_ to hide the fact they wanted him to fail, especially as his opponents were the best of his squad and Ezra had been the only one denied a blaster.*****

They claimed it was because he had done so well and that being unarmed would force him to prove himself and 'test his true capacity in the face of greater adversity.' Ezra gritted his teeth and fought not to show them a certain few hand signs he'd picked up on the streets.

"Come on, keep up!" Ezra shouted at Zare and Kell, enjoying the annoyed scowls that crossed Aresko and Grint's faces. Despite the blatant sabotage, Ezra was still in the lead.

Ezra clambered onto another platform and looked down. Zare was a platform below him, but Jai was almost a third of the way down. Oleg was still below Jai so everything was looking good, at least until Oleg decided to target someone other than Ezra.

"Jai, look out!" Ezra shouted, dropping down.

He'd only meant to knock Jai out of the way, but was too slow and ended up taking the shot instead. Ezra fell, crashing onto a platform with a teeth jarring thud, unable to land properly due to the mild electrocution.

"Dev!" Jai shouted.

"Keep going!" Ezra gasped out, pushing himself up. "And somebody shoot him!"

Zare, who'd paused at the commotion, was more than happy to send a couple shots at Oleg. Unfortunately, Oleg proved as difficult to hit as he was to like, but Zare was able to stall him for a few seconds.

Ezra used Zare's distraction to get directly beneath Oleg's platform and grab one of the underhanging bars. He yanked with just enough Force to tip the platform and cause Oleg to fall.

'Revenge might not be the Jedi way, but it's definitely the street rat way,' Ezra thought smugly as he dashed the rest of the way up. 'And oh so satisfying.'

"Kell, Leonis, and Morgan again," Aresko said sourly. "Though it seems Morgan is not as perfect as we thought."

Ezra very carefully kept his mouth shut and focused on the Walker that was to be their escape.

The three boys climbed into the machine and Jai immediately dropped into the only passenger seat, hands twitching nervously.

"Relax," Ezra muttered as Zare distracted the driver and slipped him the man's rifle.

"So how fast can this thing go?" Ezra asked, letting his own nervous excitement leak through to add a bit of realism.

"Not very," came the trooper's amused answer.

"Well, that's not fun," Ezra grumbled, winking at Zare's questioning look. People were less likely to suspect an excited, easy-going kid than a tense, serious one.

A loud explosion shook the Walker.

"What was that?" the stormtrooper demanded.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Ezra answered breezily, firing the rifle and knocking the man unconscious.******

"_We're under attack_," Aresko's voice announced over the comm. "_Repeat, we're under attack_. _Lower the blast doors_!"

"Do something!" Jai shouted as the doors began closing in front of them.

"Time to see how fast this thing can go," Ezra muttered, pushing the machine to maximum.

The heavy trod was teeth rattling, but true to its name the Walker only moved at a fast walk.

"We're not going to make it," Zare said hoarsely, eyeing the rapidly closing door.

"Yes, we are," Ezra corrected through gritted teeth. "Hold onto something!"

Ezra cut the power to one leg and wrenched the other around, forcing the Walker into a mockery of a pirouette. The machine jerked around, throwing Zare and Jai against the far side, and wobbled dangerously. With a squealing crunch of crushed metal and several cries of pain and surprise the Walker fell, hitting the ground and rolling under the doors.

Jai pealed himself off the driver's chair with a moan, ribs throbbing painfully.

"Everybody still alive?"

"Yeah," Ezra replied with a wince, crawling out from under the controls, a hand hovering between a split lip and a blackening eye. "Zare?"

A soft groan answered him, and Ezra and Jai looked over to see Zare's hand twitching under the stormtrooper's body.

"Hang on, we gotcha!" Jai grunted as he and Ezra rolled the man off their friend.

"Nmad he weighs a ton," Ezra huffed.

Zare glared at him and limped over to the ceiling hatch which was now acting like a wall.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Zare snapped.

"Glad you're all right too," Ezra muttered sarcastically, but moved to help.

The hatch opened in time for them to see Sabine downing the last of a few troopers.

"You guys ok?" She asked, helping them out.

"Yeah," Jai mumbled. "Let's just get out of here."

Sabine nodded and turned to lead them away, Jai trailing behind her.

"I'm staying," Zare said, picking up the discarded blaster, expression grim like he expected a fight.

Ezra stared at him, eyeing the resolve on Zare's face.

"Your sister." It wasn't a question but Zare nodded anyway.

"It's the only way I'll ever find her."

Ezra nodded his understanding.

"We got bucket heads in bound!" Sabine yelled.

"I'll keep in touch," Ezra promised. He turned to run when an idea struck him and he spun back around.

"If you ever get in trouble contact Senator Organa and tell him you're a friend of Ezra Bridger. He should be able to help. But only in emergencies!" Ezra said swiftly, before sprinting off after the others.

"Of course he knows a senator," Zare muttered, shaking his head and sending a few shots in their general direction. Footsteps sounded behind him and Zare lowered the rifle. Aresko and Grint eyed him for a moment before leading him inside for questioning. Zare followed obediently, weaving together a story that cast him as a hero.

* * *

It took Zeb almost 30 minutes to shake off their pursuers, the whole while the ride to the _Ghost_ was silent and tense. Zeb and Sabine unsure what to make of the unexpected addition, Jai too wary of them to do anything other than stare, and Ezra too tired from the weeks of stress to bother trying to put anyone at ease.

It was Chopper who broke the gloomy atmosphere. The droid grumbled and clanked until Sabine finally caved and agreed to start removing the black paint.

"So now what?" Jai asked quietly.

"Now we meet up with the others–"

"Others?"

"Just two more," Ezra said, giving Jai's shoulder a reassuring pat. "They're the ones in charge and they'll be able to hide you and your mom."

Jai grimaced but didn't voice his doubt.

"Don't worry, they're nice and I can guarantee they smell better then Grint," Ezra promised with a grin.

"That's not saying much," Jai snorted, shaking his head, "considering he smelled like month old bantha droppings."

"Well, if half of your crazy theories about him are true. . ." Ezra trailed off suggestively and the rest of the trip past as the two boys, with the occasionally input or question from Zeb and Sabine, came up with more and more unlikely guesses as to Grints' ancestry.

"We're here," Zeb grunted and Jai immediately fell silent.

Vague introductions were made and Hera stepped forward.

"Jai, we'll take you to your mother," she began gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But you'll both have to go into hiding."

"Yeah, from the Empire," Jai said scathingly. "No problem."

"We'll help with that two," Hera promised, leading Jai into the ship.

Ezra sighed and shook his head as the others disappeared into the Ghost. He looked up when Kanan approached and the two blinked at each other.

"So how was it, kid?" The man's tone was light, but his expression was unreadable and Ezra glanced away.

"Forgot what it was like to be on my own," he answered casually.

Kanan's lips quirked, but the move seemed a bit forced.

"You miss it?"

The tone was still light, but there was an edge to it Ezra couldn't identify. Shoving aside his unease, Ezra rolled back on his heels, falling into his easy going persona.

"No grumpy robots, no smelly Lasats," Ezra answered flippantly, giving Kanan a slight smirk, before swallowing and admitting the truth. "It's good to be back."

Kanan chuckled, the tension he'd been carrying since the kid left finally leaving him.

"At ease, cadet," he teased, heading back into the ship.

"Sir, yes, sir," came the impish reply.

"I'd have sent you there sooner, if I'd known you'd come back with manners," Kanan shouted over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll get rid of them soon," Ezra said happily as he sped past Kanan.

"Brat," Kanan muttered, shaking his head fondly. "Welcome home, kid."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

***** I didn't see Ezra with a blaster, and couldn't think of any other reason why he wouldn't have one, unless he'd dropped it - which i find unlikely - or was denied one. If Ezra did have one, let me know and I'll rewrite this.

**** **Ok, yes, technically the stormtrooper should be dead as we have no way of knowing if the blaster rifles have anything like a 'stun' setting, BUT! In the show Jai shoots Oleg, and given this is a kid's show and Disney. . .it just seemed really dark to have one kid casually off another one. That, and there was no sign Oleg had been shot, no marks, no stains on his clothing. . He just shouted, groaned a bit and then stopped moving. I find it likely that there is a 'stun' or paralysis option, which if you think about it, explains why there are different colored lights coming form the rifle/pistols: the rebels general fire red/orange shots, and the troopers generally use green. Now, given that in a later show (I think it's Call to Action) we learn that the rebels never/rarely leave any casualties, SO! We can assume that the red shots are stun/paralysis which makes sense since in Breaking Ranks a red shot is fired at Oleg (and the random stormtrooper) and we're (I am) opperating under the assumption that they were't killed.

BAM! Total nerd moment! Geek out my fellow nerds and Star Wars lovers and let your minds be blown, while i stuff my inner nerd back in its Nerd Corner.


	24. Best Friends

**Best Friends**

* * *

Despite having access to the rest of the ship, minus crew quarter, Jai sat in the cargo hold. It was the only place on the ship he felt the least awkward being, and the only place quiet enough to think. Jai didn't normally bother putting this much effort into figuring things out, but this was one of those times he _had_ to. He had so many thoughts and questions in his head he could barely string two words together, and his emotions. . .were impossible to figure out. He was angry, scared, frustrated, happy, sad, depressed, excited, eager, resentful, hurt, and so many more he couldn't even identify.

Jai sighed and wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his head, half hoping when he got around to looking up everything would have gone back to normal.

He was still curled up in the corner when a familiar set of footsteps approached and a body slid down the wall next to him. For awhile they just sat there silently, though with the way _he_ was fidgeting it wouldn't be long before _he_ spoke.

"It's a lot to take in, hu?"

Jai grunted.

"Look, you probably have a lot of questions and–"

"Well, gee, _Ezra_, I can't imagine _why_," Jai hissed and felt the other boy twitch next to him. Jai's emotions finally settled, leaving him feeling betrayed, hurt, and angry. "I couldn't _possibly_ be wondering why my best friend, or was that all just an act too–?"

"No, I–"

"Shut up!" Jai shot to his feet. "Everything I knew about you. .! Where you came from, what you like, your goals, even your _name_! _Everything_ was an act, a lie!"

Ezra flinched violently at that.

"Now, because of _you_ my life is over! Everything I worked for is ruined and I'll have to spend the rest of my life somewhere else _as_ someone else doing kriff all knows what!" Jai banged his fist against the wall. "And if that wasn't bad enough you've fracked up my life, you had to drag my mother into this as well!"

"We're trying to help!" Ezra shouted back, leaping to his feet.

"Well, maybe I don't want your help!" Jai spun around, shoving Ezra away.

Ezra stumbled back, and Jai felt a bitter satisfaction at the surprise and hurt that flashed across the other boy's face.

"Maybe I want to go back? Maybe I think you're nothing but skrogging liar–"

Ezra's fist slammed into his face and Jai crashed back against the wall. There was a moment of stunned silence as the two stared at each other in surprise, and then Jai launched himself at Ezra with a strangled cry.

They hit the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"You lied to me!" A fist connected with Ezra's ribs.

"I did what I had to do!" Jai's arm was wrenched back at a painful angle.

"You should have told me!" Another fist found Ezra's nose.

"You were Imperial!" An elbow rammed into Jai's stomach. "You wouldn't have believed me!"

"You should have just left me!" Ezra was slammed against the floor.

"You would have been killed!" A foot dug into Jai's stomach and he was kicked onto his back.

"I thought we were friends," Jai coughed out, staring up at the ceiling.

"We are!" Ezra grimaced as he rolled onto his knees. "You were mine, anyway."

Jai didn't think he was meant to hear that muttered confession, but the words eased the tangled knot of hurt and betrayal and fear that had been growing since the night they'd planned their escape from the Academy. More than the words, the tone told him all he needed to know. There was an edge of vulnerability and need to it and Jai, who had always been able to read people and knew Dev – or Ezra's – habit of hiding his true feeling from others, recognized it for what it was: the truth.

Jai sighed and stuck out his hand.

"You gonna help me up or not?"

Ezra pulled him up with a grin and they sat back where they began.

"So. . ." Ezra faltered, clearly unsure what to say next.

"Jai Kell," Jai said, holding out his hand. "Former cadet of the Imperial Academy of Lothal."

"Ezra Bridger," Ezra replied, shaking Jai's hand with an overly serious expression that didn't quite hide his relief. "Also a former cadet, but full time rebel."

"Fascinating." Jai kept his tone as serious as Ezra's. "And how does a rebel become a cadet at the Imperial Academy, rather how does one become a cadet at all?"

"Well, in my case, you start by being a thief." Ezra grinned at Jai's surprised look and launched into the story of how he'd met the crew and the events leading to his placement at the Academy.

Jai listened, though it was clear Ezra was editing out all the 'classified' information it was still a captivating tale.

"Wow, that's just. . .Woah!" Jai said as Ezra finished. "That's amazing, but why were you stealing in the first place?"

"Well, I, er." Ezra shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Jai. A look of defiant resolve settled on Ezra's face. "I was stealing to survive. It's what you do when you live on the street."

"You. .!" Jai spluttered. His first instinct was to check his pockets, but as he thought about it several things suddenly made sense. "That's why you were so good at the obstacle course!"

"Well, I guess," Ezra admitted with a weak chuckle.

"Sounds like you've had nothing but adventure your whole life," Jai commented. "So, a thief and Jedi in training. . .I guess it's luck you needed to go undercover as a cadet or we'd never have met."

"Yeah, luck," Ezra sighed, and fingered a ratty, yellow hat.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," Ezra answered, but seeing Jai's flat 'are you kidding me' look he sighed. "It's just, I can't help thinking, if I'd known what the Academy offered a few months ago, I wouldn't be here."

"What do you mean? I thought you rebels hated the Empire."

"_I do_," Ezra said quickly. "It's just. . .free food, a safe place to sleep, a future. . .Those aren't things you find on the streets, and if I'd known all I had to do to get them was join the Academy, I – I would have joined."

"Well," Jai slapped Ezra lightly on the back. "Guess it's a good thing they got you first, huh?"

"Yeah," Ezra laughed. "Yeah, it is."

"_Jai_," Hera called over the comm.. "_We've got as close to your house as we can get_. _Take Ezra and go get your mom_."

"Oh, no," Jain moaned.

"What?"

"My mom's gonna _kill_ me when she finds out I ran away from school!"

"Ah, we'll just let Hera and Kanan explain that," Ezra suggested.

"Great idea, brilliant!" Jai said, sounding immensely relieved and following Ezra off the ship.

It was a short hike to Jai's hometown, and within a few minutes of reaching it they'd arrived at the Kells' house. Jai knocked uncertainly on the door and it opened to reveal a tall, thin woman with a tired face and Jai's hair.

"Hi, Mom," Jai greeted quietly.

"Jai," the woman gasped and tugged Jai into a fierce hug. "I've missed you so much! Come inside, inside."

She ushered Jai inside and Ezra followed hesitantly. The door snapped shut and Mrs. Kell rounded on Jai, hands on her hips.

"Now, why aren't you in school young man? And – Oh, my! Who's this?" Mrs. Kell asked, having finally spotted Ezra.

"This," Jai tugged Ezra forward, relieved to have an excuse to avoid his mother's ire, "is my best friend, Ezra Bridger."

"Hi, er, Ma'am," Ezra greeted with a wave.

"Ezra. . Bridger," Mrs. Kell repeated, her face carefully blank as she looked between the two boys. Whatever she saw caused a look a bitter resignation. "We have to leave, don't we?"

"Ye-yeah," Jai said, shocked his mother had come to that conclusion.

"I see." Mrs. Kell closed her eyes, hands clenching into fists. Letting out a slow breath, she opened her eyes. "Do we have time to pack?"

Ezra and Jai nodded numbly.

"Very well, I'll be just a minute." She swept from the room, and Ezra exchanged questioning looks with Jai.

"Is she usually so. . .?"

"No."

"But. .?"

"Yeah, I know."

". .Food?"

"Why not?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

This chapter was not planned but as i finished with the 'Breaking Ranks' episode, i couldn't help but wonder how Jai handled everything and how exactly they managed to persuade his mother to go along with them. I figured i could also use this as a chance to push Ezra into opening up a bit and start bringing up the issue of Ezra's parents, which in case you missed it was the reason for Mrs. Kell's odd reaction: she remembers who the Bridgers were and what happened to them, though i don't think she knew them personally.


End file.
